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country that will produce practically anything. I think we both admit that cropping isn’t our thing, except for stock feed. I know you’ve tried it, but it’s so dependent on good weather at the right time, even though the returns look high on paper. Traditionally the May to July period is our peak debt, without also trying to find the extra money for chemicals and fertiliser, which just puts more financial pressure on that time of the year.
    ‘Likewise, growing wool and wethers is not going to make enough money. I know you’ve tried prime lambs and you don’t think it’s an option, but I believe it can be. I think you might’ve just been using the wrong rams and not understood how the industry works.
    ‘I think we could also include some hay-making for sales.There’s a lot of people who don’t have their own hay gear, so we could grow it on Kyleena and sell it to other farmers. And there’s always the export market. I know we’re probably a bit far away to access that market but we could research it a bit.
    ‘The people who have horses on only a few acres are always looking for good-quality hay as well. I’ve also been thinking about contract work . . .’ Amanda paused as her father rose from the table abruptly.
    ‘I think I’ve heard quite enough,’ Brian barked. He looked furious.‘So what I’ve done in the past isn’t good enough for you, eh? You’ve learned more than I know at that bloody college and you can run Kyleena better than I could, is that it?’
    ‘Brian, Brian, let’s calm down.’ Malcolm stood up and held his hand out in a soothing gesture. ‘Amanda isn’t saying she can do things better. She’s suggesting some things could be done differently . That’s all. Differently. If you’ve looked over the notes I gave to you last week, all of your enterprises are still in there – the wool and cattle. This is just expanding on your original farm plan to include some extra things to help create the cash flow needed.’
    Amanda held her breath as she mentally kicked herself. She had got so caught up in her plan she hadn’t thought about her father’s feelings – again. When will I learn? she wondered. If he walked out now, it would be her fault.
    The tension in the room lifted as Brian slumped down in his chair. He looked defeated, but when he started to talk his voice was strong.
    ‘Here’s how I see it,’ he said. ‘I couldn’t give a stuff about Kyleena at the moment. Amanda, you think you can run it, go for it. It’s yours to have a crack at. I can see you’ve got the ideas and the drive to do it. I need some time to get over your mother’s death and if you can implement some of these ideas and get it running smoothly before you go to England, then that’s fine. I’ll take over for the six months you’re away, then when you come back we’ll reassess the situation. I want a wage, will still live on the farm, and can come and go as I please.You can do everything else. See if you think it’s so easy when it’s all your responsibility.’
    ‘Dad, it’s only three months until I leave . . . I won’t be able to get the changes up and running by then.’ Amanda was still hanging on to the slim chance that she could further her knowledge in England.
    ‘That’s my offer. Otherwise, we sell. I don’t want Kyleena at the moment and I’m not sure I ever will again.’
    Malcolm shuffled his papers in front of him and Amanda stared blindly at the table while she weighed up what her father had proposed. It was an impossible task. You couldn’t fix something in three months that had taken years to break.
    Her thoughts were interrupted when Brian got to his feet and said, ‘I’ll be off now. See you at home. You can tell me what you decide then.’ He walked from the room, shutting the door quietly behind him.
    ‘I think I’ve just had an invitation to go back home,’ Amanda said, more to herself than Malcolm, then she let her head slump to the table and groaned. ‘Ah,