1928
30 July 1928
"RAVENSWOOD" BORDER LEICESTER.
"At the recent Sydney stud sheep sales, Mr. Lewis Hamilton of "Ravenswood" Rylstone, made an addition to his well known Border Leicester Stud, by the purchase of thirty ewes from the noted New Zealand breeder, Mr. Donald Grant. The Grand Champion ewe at the Sydney show was from this stud and realised the high figure of 75 guineas. It is interesting to note that Mr. Grants' flock is the oldest undispersed stud in the Dominion, having since 1874 been bred to the same true type of early maturing variety, and practically within itself. Mr Hamilton founded his flock from this stud some years ago, and having found that these sheep have so markedly retained their characteristics in the environment of "Ravenswood" is to be congratulated upon adhering to the same blood1
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1932
8 August 1932
"RAVENSWOOD"
A Fine Property in a Fine District
MAGNIFICENT STOCK
A striking example of what can be accomplished with a combination of energy and brains is the wonderful progress made at "Ravenswood," Rylstone, the property of Mr. Lewis Hamilton. Not very many years ago this property was practically in two rabbit infested paddocks and forming part of Rawden Station. At the subdivision sale, some ten years ago, Mr. Hamilton purchased 3000 acres on the right hand side of the road going from Lue to Rylstone, and immediately started in, to improve and subdivide his land by intelligently directed work. He has now one of the most up-to-date grazing properties of its acreage in that district, and, as a matter of fact, including Mudgee as well. There is a comfortable homestead with ornamental trees and well grown hedges which, in spite of the fact that they have been transplanted three times, are thriving wonderfully well; also a splendid wool shed and - the most important factor - a wonderfully laid out water supply, the unique concrete tanks and troughs being the most up-to-date idea so far noticed on any farm or station over a large expanse of New South Wales. The large square concrete tank holds 1000 gallons, watering four paddocks by means of concrete troughing set slightly below the bottom and right round the tank, regulated by the usual hall cock, is unbreakable by horses or cattle and everlasting.
All boundary and subdivision fences are netted, and, as one would expect, there are no rabbits, with the gratifying result that instead of carrying about one sheep to two acres, in a state of semi-starvation, the property has carried consistently over 1¼ to the acre, besides cultivation, cattle and horses.
Mr. Hamilton's one ambition is to have nothing but pure bred stock on "Ravenswood," and his stud of Border Leicester is well known right throughout the State. Culling heavily every year and sending all the ewe culls to Homebush, the stud must and is improving every year, and to further that great desire he purchased at the last Sydney ram sales from Mr. Gibson's famous New Zealand stud two rams of exceptional type and beauty. The oldest ram, now three years, is a magnificent animal set on short legs with a most symmetrical body, and carrying a fleece of high-class Border Leicester wool, full of lustre and character. This ram should make a wonderful improvement in the Ravenswood stud. The younger ram, 12 months old, has even a better covering, so far as quality 's concerned, and should he develop as well as he now promises, will also be a very valuable addition.
The cattle during the next few years will he of absorbing interest to Mr. Hamilton, as he has purchased 12 Devon heifers and a bull from the famous Havilah stud, in tending to establish a pure herd of Devons, and should he show the same patience and skill in this branch of husbandry, it will not be long before the Ravenswood Devons will be commanding attention through the State, as well as Queensland and Victoria2
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1933
18 May 1933
GREAT DEVON BULL
Going to “Ravenswood” Mr Hamilton's Purchase
Thus "Country Life": -
It was very pleasing to see how Mr. Hunter White gained some reward for his consistency in bringing down his tine team of young sires for the Royal Show sales, and they met with a good steady demand. The six head offered averaged £96, the best average for many years.
Mr. L. A. Hamilton, of "Ravenswood" Rylstone, is to be congratulated on purchasing such a great youngster as Bridegroom's Curley Boy for 120gns. This is a grand youngster, splendidly grown, with a grand coat color, plenty of depth and a great breeder's head. He was a top cross of old Crazelow-man Forester, the best Devon bull I ever saw, and easily the best sire that ever came to Australia. I often used to go over to look at him when he first came to Sydney Royal, where he was champion for many years. One could pick his calves out without the slightest trouble. I would like to find another like him.
Bridegroom's Merryman, another thick, good bull went to Bluff Downs: and All There was secured by Mr. R. Moses. A good calf of the Apricot family was bought by Mr. White for Bluff Downs3
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2014
17 April 2014
Flexibility is the key for 'Ravenswood' in Rylstone
'It was a pretty awful time, financially, emotionally and environmentally,' Mr Hamilton said.
'Since then I've been moving away from running stock in any sort of set situation. We haven't fed anything since.'
Mr Hamilton's management of 1000 hectare 'Ravenswood' has become all about responsiveness: the ability to change stock numbers - including completely destocking, as he has done several times since the 1990s - and change livestock species within a very short period in response to the changing weather outlook.
For instance, he was up until recently running all cattle. After a hot, dry summer, stock water reserves are running low, so Mr Hamilton has sold off many of his cattle and is moving back toward sheep, which are easier to water in dry conditions.
Ideally, he looks for classes of stock that he can turn off within three months, should the season turn against him. Three months represents the cycles on which he assesses his feed reserves and budgets out what that means for his carrying capacity.
Stock are often bought and sold on the same market. As Mr Hamilton turns animals off for the best prices he can get, he's looking for classes of stock that represent good buying.
His choices about what he buys are also coloured by his confidence in the season.
Over much of the past year, the climate system has been stalled in neutral. With no strong drivers to show that trends are heading in one way or another, Mr Hamilton has taken note of the Bureau of Meterology's climate outlooks, but then hedged his bets by keeping his farm stocked with readily tradeable steers and heifers.
In more trustworthy seasons, he has bought across the cattle spectrum, from empty cows to cows and calves, to cows he's joined and sold on as a cow-calf unit.
Mr Hamilton said he was initially regretful about moving away from his own long-term breeding herd, and the pleasures of seeing genetic development across the generations.
'But this system has certainly been an advantage to us,' he said.
'We've de-stressed the operation. We're in control, instead of being controlled by the weather. We don't run the place into the ground with animals wandering around looking for something that's not there, and we're not going through the emotional stress of feeding and looking after stock that are making no weight gain.
'It's pretty simple, really: we're just constantly matching stocking rate to carrying capacity. If you run a set number of stock, you're always going to be under- or overstocked at any one point in time.'
Although it's impossible to be sure, he feels 'Ravenswood' is ahead financially, too. No resources have been poured into fodder conservation programs or off-farm feed since he was burnt by feeding in the 1990s.
Mr Hamilton added that since his shift in management, his wife has mixed feelings about drought. Not having a source of income to hand is unnerving; on the other hand, his practice of completely de-stocking the property means the couple can go away on holiday.
'The only thing I can say for sure about farming is that the climate is going to be variable, and that either way, we're never far away from a drought or a good season. I'm just working around a flexible system that can always adapt to that variability.'
Up until this year, Sam Hamilton was an MLA-sponsored representative on the Climate Champions program that supports producers to share information about managing climate variability4 .