Meringa Sugar Experiment Station

Meringa Sugar Experiment Station is a heritage-listed research station at 71378 Bruce Highway, Meringa, Gordonvale, Cairns Region, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Goodsir & Carlyle, Baker & Wilde, and the Queensland Department of Public Works and built from 1914 to 1918 by Queensland Department of Public Works. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 18 July 2014.
History.
The Meringa Sugar Experiment Station (SES) is located on the east side of the Bruce Highway about north of the Meringa railway station on the North Coast railway line, and north of the town of Gordonvale. It has been an important part of the Queensland sugar industry since 1917, first as an Entomological Station, researching insect pests, and from the 1930s as a sugarcane breeding facility. In 1935 the Meringa SES bred the first cane toads released in Queensland, and from 1945 experiments with the insecticide benzene hexachloride (BHC) at Meringa were successful in controlling the sugar cane pest, the greyback grub. The Meringa SES is now operated by Sugar Research Australia. Older buildings of cultural heritage significance include: the former Entomologist's residence (1917); a corrugated iron implement and tractor shed (c.1935); a glasshouse (1957); a 1962 brick office and laboratory building; and a 1969 two storey brick office building. More recent buildings of heritage significance include the crossing facility (1977–1980) and the photoperiod facility (1986–2008).
The site of the Meringa SES was once part of a Camping Reserve (R.223) located north of Gordonvale on the Mulgrave River. This was the traditional country of the Yidinjdji people. The area was first settled by Europeans when the Alley and Blackwell families arrived simultaneously from Cairns in 1878 and both families selected land in late 1879. The site of Gordonvale was a Native Police camp in 1885 and later became a small village named Mulgrave, with three pubs, a store and a butcher's shop. The Mulgrave Central Sugar Mill started crushing in 1896 and that year the first part of a town named Nelson (after then Premier of Queensland, Sir Hugh Nelson) was surveyed southwest of the mill, around Swan Street. The sections further north, including what later became Norman Park, were surveyed in 1899. Nelson was renamed Gordonvale (after the pioneer and butcher John Gordon) in 1914 to avoid confusion with towns called Nelson in New South Wales, Victoria, and New Zealand.
The Mulgrave Central Mill was a product of the Sugar Works Guarantee Act 1893 that provided for the erection of approved central mills on a government loan if farmers mortgaged their land as security. After the principal and interest was met, these central mills were then handed to the growers as cooperative mills. Prior to central mills, the plantation system was the main form of sugar production in Queensland. Large landholdings were worked by South Sea Islander labour and sugar was processed at plantation sugar mills. Sugar was first crushed in commercial quantities in Queensland in the early 1860s by Captain Louis Hope, near Cleveland. In 1878 the Queensland Government began selling Far North Queensland land along the Bloomfield, Daintree, Mossman, Barron, Mulgrave and Johnstone Rivers. Land was secured by small farmers and larger companies, and by 1884 the sugar industry was established in the region. Nine sugar plantations were established in Far North Queensland from 1878 to 1891.
The sugar mill of the Pyramid plantation, located south of Gordonvale, operated between 1885 and 1890. However, two main factors led to six Far North Queensland plantations closing by 1891. First, there was a steep fall in sugar prices in 1884. Second, the Queensland Government sought to promote settlement through small land holdings worked by farmers of European descent. Legislation from the mid-1880s, along with later Australian Government legislation, led to the end of the use of indentured South Sea Islander labour by 1904. The system of large plantations with their own sugar mills was replaced, by the early 20th century, with a system of small farms and central sugar mills.
Although the method of growing sugar changed, it continued to play an important part in the economy of Far North Queensland. After the Federation of Australia, the sugar industry was regarded as vital to Australia's economic priorities; and also as a means to settle the north of the country as part of Australia's defence strategy. From the 1910s the Australian sugar industry became highly protected, regulated and increasingly mechanised, receiving active support from both Queensland and Australian governments through legislation. The number of small sugarcane growers in Queensland grew from 359 in 1893 to 4,238 in 1911. Later, by the beginning of World War II, sugar was an important component in the Queensland economy, providing export earnings as Queensland's major crop and promoting regional growth; as a proportion of primary production, sugar grew from less than 10% in 1910 to 18% in 1940.
Research into disease-resistance, farming techniques and technological innovation was also recognised as important by the 20th century and was supported by the Queensland Government. The first Sugar Experiment Stations (SES) in the world were located in Louisiana, USA, and Java (both established 1885), followed by Hawaii (1895), and Saint Kitts, West Indies, (1899). Queensland's first SES was established in late 1900 at "The Lagoons", Mackay. However, sugar growers wanted government research into soils and new cane varieties, and a laboratory was added at Mackay in 1898. The next year it was announced that the Mackay nursery would become a SES. Walter Maxwell, Director of the SES in Hawaii, was invited to Queensland, visiting in December 1899. He later accepted a job as Director of the Bureau of Sugar Experiment Stations (BSES), starting in November 1900.
The BSES was established under The Sugar Experiment Stations Act of 1900. Initially administered by Queensland's Department of Agriculture (later the Department of Agriculture and Stock), the BSES undertook research to assist growers and millers improve the breeding, planting, growing, harvesting and milling of sugar cane. The work of the BSES was financed through a Sugar Fund, established by the 1900 Act.
Maxwell, who headed the BSES until 1909, recommended a total of three SES in Queensland, but this did not occur immediately. Although a soils laboratory and Director's headquarters operated in Bundaberg from August 1901 to 1910, an SES was not established in the area until a cane farm with two residences was acquired at East Bundaberg in 1913. Prior to 1913, field experiments with sugar cane varieties were carried out at the Mackay SES. A third SES was established at South Johnstone (south of Innisfail) in 1917–18, located across the river from the sugar mill, and sugar cane was growing there by December 1919.
Entomological research began in 1911 with the appointment of the American Entomologist Alexandre Arsène Girault to work in Nelson (Gordonvale) in a rented building. Alan Parkhurst Dodd (son of the "Butterfly Man of Kuranda", Frederick Parkhurst Dodd) was appointed assistant entomologist, and worked at Gordonvale, and later Meringa, between 1912 and 1921 (he spent three and a half years of this period serving in the Australian Imperial Force during World War I). Dodd later went on to play a major role in the defeat of prickly pear infestation by the Cactoblastis moth. Girault was replaced by Edmund Jarvis in 1914. At this time the insect of most concern was the greyback grub, the offspring of the greyback cockchafer (cane beetle, Dermolepida albohirtum). Although the adult beetle ate cane leaves, the grub inflicted more damage by attacking the cane's roots.
To further research into cane grubs, in January 1916 the Department of Agriculture and Stock asked for five acres (two hectares) of land near the Gordonvale State School for an Entomological Reserve; with room for residences, student quarters, a laboratory, office and insectarium, plus experimental crops. In February the Land Commissioner instead offered the Department part of the Camping Reserve (R.223), located north of Gordonvale, and just north of a Reserve for a Prison (R.483). Ten acres (four hectares) with the best soil, thickly forested and located at the southern end of the road frontage of the Camping Reserve, was surveyed as Portion 29 in June 1916, and was gazetted a Reserve for Entomological Purposes, Reserve 1544 (R.502) in August 1916.
The site (at Meringa) became the Entomological Station for the BSES, and two residences, a laboratory and an insectary were constructed during 1917. These buildings, all highset and timber framed, were located in the southern half of the reserve. Construction plans for the Entomologist's residence were prepared by January 1917, by the Public Works Department. The two bedroom house included a dining room and drawing room, encircling verandas and a semi-detached kitchen and maid's room. A wash house was under the kitchen.
The residence was first occupied by Dr James F Illingworth, who replaced Jarvis as Entomologist in 1917. Illingworth began extensive field tests with lime, fertilizers, arsenic and creosote as soil fumigants to see how they impacted on cane grub attacks. These experiments were not successful, but Illingworth did provide cane growers with advice on improved cultivation methods. Prior to 1975 the Meringa facility was administered by Illingworth (1917–1921), Edmund Jarvis (1921–1934), Edwin J Barke (1934–1938), Reginald William Mungomery (1938–1945), James Hardie Buzacott (1945–1947, 1966–1970), Gilbert Bates (1947–1966) and JC Skinner (from 1970).
The Assistant Entomologist's residence was located south of the Entomologist's residence. The Entomological Laboratory, east of the Entomologist's residence, consisted of four rooms, with a veranda to three sides, and a small laboratory enclosed at the end of one veranda. The laboratory building later contained a museum, holding displays of various insect pests for the education of sugar farmers.
Entomology was only one aspect of the BSES's operations. In the late 1920s the BSES was split into four divisions: Soils and Agriculture, Pathology, Entomology, and Mill Technology. When the Pathology Division was formed, Queensland had a greater number of sugar cane diseases than any other cane-growing country. By 1931 the BSES had three SES's (Mackay, Bundaberg, and South Johnstone); one entomological station (at Meringa); two entomological laboratories (Mackay and Bundaberg); plus administrative offices and laboratories in Brisbane. In 1933 the Advisory Committee of the BSES was established. After being renamed in 1934 the first meeting of the Advisory Board of the BSES was held in 1935.
Although the Meringa facility initially began as an entomological station, it commenced research into cane varieties in the 1930s. Prior to the opening of the South Johnstone SES the BSES was unable to obtain seedlings from arrows (the inflorescence containing the sugarcane's flowers) picked at the Mackay SES; but seedlings were raised from local fuzz (seed) at the South Johnstone SES in 1921, and controlled pollination was conducted there from 1926. However, the BSES decided that South Johnstone was not the best site for cane breeding, and this work was transferred to Meringa from 1934, while the South Johnstone site was taken over by the Bureau of Tropical Agriculture. The entomological, cane breeding and agricultural work of the BSES in the north was now concentrated at Meringa. In 1934 the BSES's Divisions of Pathology and Entomology were combined.
After South Johnstone closed, seedlings were raised at Meringa, Mackay and Bundaberg, and glasshouses were built at all three stations in the 1930s. While cross-breeding was conducted at a farm at Freshwater from 1930 (all crossing being conducted there by 1935), this eventually transferred to Meringa, where 300 varieties were in cultivation by 1950. Meringa was the headquarters for all the BSES's cane breeding and over time became the centre for pathology, agronomy and mill technology in the north. It was also the point of origin for all "Q" cane varieties, which in 2013 comprise 98% of the sugar cane grown in Queensland.
To accommodate the cane breeding programme at Meringa, adjacent land was obtained. Portion 78 (R.483), to the south, was gazetted a Reserve for Experimental Farm on 27 August 1938. Two other reserves were added prior to 30 April 1953 (when all four of the Meringa SES's reserves were cancelled and replaced with a special lease): Portion 133 (R.867), gazetted a Reserve for Departmental Purposes on 14 January 1939; and Portion 134 (R.1003), gazetted a Reserve for Experimental Farm on 20 January 1951. Another block was obtained in 1959, east of the original station. After further acquisitions to the east and north, by 2014 the Meringa SES covered .
Along with the acquisition of extra land, a burst of construction occurred at Meringa prior to its official opening as an SES on 13 September 1935, by Frank Bulcock, Minister for Agriculture and Stock. Work included the conversion of the Assistant Entomologist's residence into a soils laboratory, with a museum and library (completed in 1935). A timber-framed glasshouse supported on concrete base walls was completed by December 1934, and a corrugated iron-clad implement and tractor shed, fertiliser store and stables building erected by L Underwood was completed in 1935, with a cost of .
In addition, a four bedroom timber worker's cottage was erected on Portion 78, and was nearing completion by December 1934. In 1947–1948 this building (removed after 2003) was altered and extended for use by James Hardie Buzacott, who was appointed as Senior Plant Breeder in 1947. Around the same time a three-car garage was built. Around 1949 a toilet was added adjacent to the bathroom of the Entomologist's residence, which by this time had two cupboards (no longer extant) built at the corners of the bedrooms and extending onto the northern veranda, and a new doorway was added between the bedrooms.
Apart from the main buildings there was also a special enclosure for cane toads at the Meringa SES. Around 100 toads (Bufo marinus) arrived at Meringa from Hawaii in June 1935, escorted by Assistant Entomologist RW Mungomery. It was hoped that they would eat cane beetles, even though Mungomery wrote in 1933 that the beetles did not spend enough time on the ground for the toads to be effective. After being bred in the special enclosure 2400 toads were released at sites around Gordonvale in August 1935. The retired NSW Government Entomologist Walter Froggatt opposed the toad releases, and successfully lobbied the Australian Department of Health to ban them in November 1935. In January 1936 Froggatt wrote "This giant toad, immune from enemies, omnivorous in its habits, and breeding all year round, may become as great a pest as the rabbit or cactus". However, Minister Bulcock soon persuaded Queensland Premier William Forgan Smith to recommend to Prime Minister Joseph Lyons that the ban be overturned, and the releases continued from September 1936, creating an ecological nightmare while also failing to control cane beetles.
While the Meringa SES was occupied with introducing the cane toad to Australia, in 1935 the Mackay SES moved to a better site, on the Peak Downs Highway at Te Kowai. A fourth SES was officially opened west of Ayr in 1954, on of land purchased in 1948. A fifth SES was built at Tully in the mid-1970s. The BSES also operated a Pathology farm at Eight Mile Plains from c.1952 to 2001, after which it was relocated to Woodford.
Although the number of SES's increased, Meringa remained the most important. During the 1940s and 1950s, annual farmers' field days were held at Meringa, where by this time all cross pollination for Queensland was carried out. Experiments with benzene hexachloride (BHC) insecticide, also known as "gammexane", began at Meringa in 1945, which led to the successful control of greyback grubs - after farmers were allowed to use it from 1947. In 1957 the Queensland Cane Growers' Council dedicated a plaque on a granite boulder at the entrance to the Meringa station. This recognised "the major service performed by the Bureau of Sugar Experiment Stations to the cane growers of Queensland in initiating and carrying to fruition the research which led to the successful control of the cane grub the industry's worst pest". However, due to concerns about environmental contamination and a threat to human health the use of BHC in Australian agriculture ended in the 1980s.
Sugar producers harboured concerns about the lack of autonomy of the BSES. The Sugar Producers' Association formed a committee to draft the constitution for a new sugar industry-funded and controlled research institute. Sugar Research Limited was incorporated on 22 February 1949. The inaugural board of Sugar Research Ltd first met in March 1949 and decided to establish the Sugar Research Institute's central laboratories in Mackay. The Sugar Research Institute - "a monument to the Australian sugar industry" - was opened on 22 August 1953 by the Australian Treasurer, Sir Arthur Fadden.
While this was occurring the Queensland Government took steps to separate the BSES from the public service. In 1951 the SES Advisory Board was replaced by the SES Board, a Crown instrumentality (statutory corporation) set up to administer the BSES. Its four members included the Minister for Primary Industries, the Under Secretary for Agriculture and Stock, a growers' representative, and a manufacturers' representative. All property was transferred to the Board, which was a body corporate.
Construction continued at Meringa in the 1950s and 1960s. The 1935 glasshouse was destroyed by Cyclone Agnes in 1956 and a new glasshouse was constructed just to the east the following year. In 1955 the original laboratory, which had been used as a residence for the previous 20 years, was remodelled as a plant breeding laboratory. It was later removed from the site between 1979 and 1990. By 1957 a crossing facility existed on Portion 134, north of Hall Road.
Construction was not just limited to the Meringa SES. Between the early 1950s and the early 1970s new office-laboratory complexes were built at all four BSES experimental stations. Further infrastructure was required at Meringa to accommodate increasing staff numbers as plant breeding activities expanded and Meringa became the regional centre for research in the fields of agronomy, entomology and mill technology. In 1962 a new one-storey brick office and laboratory building was constructed at Meringa, between the 1917 buildings, to a design by the architectural firm DB Goodsir & HJ Carlyle (St Lucia, Brisbane).
Harold J Carlyle had won the student medal at the Central Technical College in 1933, and had been articled to R Ashley Shaw, who later took him into partnership. Carlyle and David B Goodsir were in partnership from 1946, sometimes still working with Shaw. The firm designed the new Innisfail hospital and the Maryborough Fire Station in 1949, Emmanuel College at the University of Queensland in 1950, the Queensland Spastic Welfare League building at New Farm in December 1953, and the BSES head office on Gregory Terrace, Brisbane, in 1958. The firm later evolved to become Goodsir, Baker and Wilde.
The new office building was initially designed to accommodate plant breeders, entomologists and a mill technologist. There were eight offices in the western section of the building, and toilets and a laboratory in the eastern section. The configuration of the western section has since been changed by a modern fit-out that has created a larger central reception area, but the laboratory section of the building was intact in 2013.
In 1969 a new two-storey brick office building, designed by Goodsir & Carlyle, Baker & Wilde, was added to the south of the 1962 building, on the site of the former Assistant Entomologist's residence, which was sold for removal. At this time, staff numbers were at a peak, comprising 20 officers and six field labourers. The 1969 office building included offices for a Mill Technologist, Pathologist, Agronomist, and Technical and Field Assistants, as well as a library, on the first floor; and a lecture theatre, dark room, and workshops for plant breeding, agronomy and entomology on the ground floor.
By 1973, cane varieties bred by BSES made up 61% of all varieties grown in Queensland. By 1979 several garages were built to the east of the 1957 glasshouse, and soon after a headhouse was built south of the glasshouse. New crossing facilities were also constructed north of Hall Road in 1977–1980. In 1986 the first of three photoperiod houses (the westernmost) was built (duplicated in 1998 and 2008), north of the creek dividing Portion 29. Photoperiod houses provide an environment for the artificial initiation of flowering in sugarcane.
In 2003 BSES Limited, an industry owned company, was formed to replace the BSES. A seed storage freezer room was built to the east of the photoperiod houses in 2009, and a juice shed was built east of the freezer room in 2012. In mid-2013 the assets and activities of BSES Limited were combined with those of the Sugar Research and Development Corporation (SRDC) and the milling research activities of Sugar Research Limited (SRL) to form Sugar Research Australia (SRA), a single-entity research management and research company formed to address national research, development and experimentation priorities.
By 2013 the headquarters of SRA was located at Meiers Road, Indooroopilly, Brisbane with SES's at Meringa, Tully, Ingham (established post 1975), Brandon (Ayr), Te Kowai (Mackay), and Kalkie (Bundaberg East), and a Pathology Farm at Woodford.
The Meringa SES is currently the major plant breeding station for the Australian sugar industry, and the only location where field crosses of sugar cane varieties are made. During the lifetime of the Meringa SES, a number of scientists whose work has been of importance to the Queensland sugar industry have been associated with it. These include E Jarvis (1869–1935, entomologist), JF Illingworth (American entomologist), EJ Barke (cane breeder), RW Mungomery (1901–1972, entomologist), JH Buzacott (1902–1984, plant breeder), G Bates (entomologist), G Wilson (entomologist), and Alan Parkhurst Dodd (entomologist).
Description.
Located south of Cairns and north of Meringa, in Far North Queensland, the Meringa Sugar Experiment Station comprises of land. It is bounded to the west by the Bruce Highway and North Coast railway line, is dissected by Hall Road and Lavell Road, and is surrounded by agricultural land. The land within the heritage boundary comprises .
The main complex of research buildings, set on flat terrain amongst mature trees and lawn and accessed from the highway via a circular drive, includes: an Office and Laboratory building (1962); an Entomologist's Residence (1917); an Office building (1969); a Glasshouse (1957); and an Implement and Tractor Shed (1935). To the north, separated from the main complex by a creek, are sugarcane fields and a photoperiod facility with three buildings (1986, 1998, 2008). A crossing facility (1977–80) is located on the northern side of Hall Road.
Office and Laboratory (1962).
The Office and Laboratory (1962) is a one-storey, slab-on-ground, cavity brick building with a steel-framed, gable roof. The exterior is red facebrick and the roof is clad with pan-and-rib metal sheets. The T-shaped building, has two perpendicular wings (offices in the front and laboratory behind) connected by a covered breezeway.
Fronting the office building is a low garden bed and a symmetrical, concrete screen block wall from slab to soffit, painted white. A wide central opening leads across a narrow porch to the recessed entry of the office behind. The sides and rear have large, aluminium-framed, sliding windows, some with spandrel panels of sheet material, and some with aluminium awnings. Modern doors are cut into the sides of the office portion and the laboratory portion retains original, timber double doors with glazing panels on the rear (east). The front porch and breezeway floors are concrete with alternating black and grey stripes and the ceilings are grids of sheets and battens with original, square, plastic and metal light fittings. The office has a modern fitout and partition walls.
Access from the office to the laboratory is through the breezeway. The intact laboratory layout comprises rendered masonry partitions forming a large laboratory space and four smaller rooms that accommodate equipment stores and a furnace room. The laboratory is brightly-lit through north-facing glazing comprising large, aluminium-framed sliding windows and glass louvre fanlights complete with original aluminium hardware. An office area is accommodated within the larger laboratory space by a part-height, timber-framed partition with glazing panels and clad with sheet material. The floor is clad with modern vinyl and the ceiling is a grid of acoustic tiles. Wet areas retain original ceramic tile splashbacks. All rooms retain laboratory equipment, including benches, storage cupboards, fume cupboards, cabinets, sinks, and tapware, as well as an array of laboratory equipment.
Entomologist's Residence (1917).
Adjacent to the north of the entrance driveway is the Entomologist's Residence, a high-set, one-storey, timber-framed and clad building. The house faces west and comprises a central core encircled by a wide verandah, with a kitchen wing attached to the rear verandah. The house is supported on concrete posts and the understorey is largely open. It stands to the northwest of the other buildings and has a fenced front yard.
The house core has exposed timber framing on the exterior, sheltered by a large hipped roof that is continuous over the verandahs. The roof is clad with corrugated metal sheets and has small, louvred gablets venting the roof space. The front is symmetrical around a projecting entry gable, which has decorative timber battening and post brackets, and a veranda door with a circular panel of glazing.
The verandah is timber-framed with a timber balustrade and is enclosed on the north and east (rear) sides. On the northern side the original timber balustrade is retained below aluminium-framed sliding windows. The rear veranda is enclosed with timber-framed casements above the balustrade.
The kitchen wing is clad in weatherboards and has a small, hipped roof clad with corrugated metal sheets. A stove recess projects from the eastern wall. The wing has large, timber-framed double hung windows and a timber stair on the north side, providing access to the garden.
A wide timber stair leads to the front verandah, which has a raked, timber, v-jointed board ceiling and a timber board floor. Two timber-framed oriel windows project onto the western verandah and these have decorative timber brackets and narrow, double-hung sashes. A hexagonal bay window with French doors projects onto the rear veranda. The eastern end of the southern verandah retains an early electric light fitting and opaque glass shade.
The centrally-located front door of timber with glass panels provides entry into a short hall. The layout of the core comprises two bedrooms on the northern side, and a large living space on the south. The interior partitions are timber single-skin, v-jointed board walls with chamfered belt rails. The rooms have timber floors and moulded timber skirtings, architraves and plate rails. Cornices in the living room are moulded while those of the bedrooms are rounded. The flat ceilings are v-jointed, timber boards. The living room is in two parts, connected by a wide opening framed with decorative timber scrollwork. Internal doors are panelled timber, and opening onto the verandah from all rooms are glazed French doors, some of which have opaque painted glazing with an etched border. All doors have operable, glazed fanlights. The main core retains original door and window hardware including brass opening rods, bolts, catches, and rim locks, as well as original door knobs. The northern verandah has an early enclosure accommodating a toilet and bathroom. (The bathroom linings of sheet material and tiles are not of cultural heritage significance.) The southern end of the eastern verandah has a part-height partition with a central opening, lined with v-jointed timber boards.
The kitchen wing comprises two rooms, although a timber member in the ceiling of the large room indicates the position of a removed wall. The internal partition is a single-skin timber, v-jointed board wall with chamfered timber belt rails. The rooms have timber floors, architraves and cornices. The flat ceilings are v-jointed, timber boards. The stove recess is lined with sheet material. The kitchen cabinetry is modern and not of cultural heritage significance.
The residence has established gardens including trees, shrubs, and lawns.
Office (1969).
A covered walkway of facebrick pillars supporting a steel-framed roof runs south from the breezeway of the Office and Laboratory (1962) to the front of the Office (1969), which faces north. This L-shaped building contains workshops, a photography dark room and a lecture room on the ground floor, and offices, a laboratory and a library on the first floor. It is a concrete-frame, slab-on-ground structure with a shallow-pitched, hipped roof clad with metal sheets. The exterior comprises red facebrick panels within a white painted concrete frame. The eaves are wide and the soffit is clad with flat sheet material with ventilation slots.
All elevations have aluminium-framed sliding windows, most have terracotta tile sills, and some have spandrel panels of metal louvres. The western elevation is facebrick with a pattern of projecting brick headers. Side access into the building is through timber doors with glazed panels, and a steel stair leads to the first floor on the eastern side.
The ground floor has a wide, recessed entrance porch on the northern side, enclosed with a metal grille and hit-and-miss brickwork. The porch is partly double-height and has a concrete floor. The layout of the ground floor is intact with the porch providing access to the large lecture room on the northern side and the workshops on the southern side - the westernmost workshop is entered through a former refrigerator room, which is now a kitchen. The workshops have vinyl tile floors and flat, gridded ceilings of sheet material. They retain laboratory benches, cupboards, and sinks. The porch also provides access to smaller rooms: a photography dark room at the western end store rooms and a toilet and shower room at the eastern end. A steel-framed stair with concrete treads, a steel balustrade, and a timber handrail rises within the porch up to the first floor.
The layout of the first floor is intact. A large landing at the top of the stair leads to a library, laboratory, offices, and a central corridor with offices opening off either side. The floors are original vinyl tiles and the flat ceiling is sheet material with a square, timber cornice. The partitions around the landing, in the library, and in the principal offices are clear-finished timber boards with a black skirting. The corridor partitions and those between the other offices are part-height and part-glazed, timber-framed, and clad with sheet material. Internal doors are clear-finished timber. Those of the library have glazed panels.
The Glasshouse (1957).
To the east of the Office (1969) is the glasshouse, a one-storey, steel-framed, glazed structure supported on concrete half-height wall upstands and slab. The glazing incorporates operable ventilation at the ridge as well as louvres at sill level. Further ventilation is via square openings in the half-height concrete walls, closed with metal flaps on the exterior. The steel frame incorporates open-web trusses and other, more-complex, articulated trusses. The glasshouse is divided into two rooms by a steel-framed, glazed partition with a connecting glazed, sliding door. The smaller of the two rooms has a mechanical ventilation system of exposed, high-level ducting and can be shaded by an external removable shade cloth supported on a steel frame outside the glazing. The concrete floor in both rooms has perimeter drains that empty onto the ground outside the glasshouse.
The Implement and Tractor Shed (1935).
To the east of the glasshouse is the implement and tractor shed, a one-storey, timber-framed, slab-on-ground structure. It has a gable roof and the walls and roof are clad with corrugated metal sheets. On the southern side are timber-framed, double-hung sash windows. A tram line runs along the northern side of the building. Abutting the eastern end of the building is a similar, gable roofed shed and on the southern side is a lean-to, steel-framed awning, neither of which are of cultural heritage significance.
The shed is partitioned with single-skin timber, v-jointed board walls with chamfered timber belt rails to form four areas - the implement and tractor shed; the stable (divided into stalls and a former harness and feed room, now a lunchroom); the store; and the fertiliser store and mixing room. At the eastern end, the implement and tractor shed is a large room with two large metal garage doors on the north side, metal double doors on the east side, and metal mesh doors on the south side. It is unlined internally and the floor is concrete. In the centre of the shed, the stables include a former harness and feed room on the southern side, and four horse stalls on the northern side. The large harness and feed room is accessed from a timber-framed double door on the southern elevation. The room has a concrete floor and a flat ceiling of sheet material, timber shelving, and early timber desks. This room connects to the stalls via a timber double door. The two easternmost stalls retain original timber partitions and board doors on the northern side, and a high-level, steel-framed, glass louvre window provides stall ventilation. The stalls have a concrete floor with upstands and a fall to aid in mucking out to the exterior.
At the western end of the shed are two rooms - the store (southwest corner); and the fertiliser store and mixing room (northwest corner). The store is a small room accessed from the western side via a pair of timber-framed, braced board doors. It has a partial ceiling of timber boards, a concrete floor, and timber shelves. The fertiliser store and mixing room is accessed from the western side via a pair of timber-framed, braced board doors above which is a further pair of doors for loading goods into a mezzanine level. The room has a concrete floor and a timber bench running around three sides, which can be reached from the exterior through a pair of large timber shutters on the northern side.
Photoperiod facility (1986–2008).
Three photoperiod houses are located north of the creek and the main complex. Each photoperiod house is a large volume, steel framed structure on a concrete slab, with gabled roof and fascia clad in sheet metal. Set within the steel structure, insulated panels divide the house into three longitudinal chambers, with openings to the north sealed by roller doors. The environment in the chambers is created and controlled through mechanical and electrical services to simulate external weather conditions and each chamber contains tram lines and automated cane trolleys.
Crossing facility (1977–80).
The crossing facility, surrounded by thick vegetation, is located on the north side of Hall Road. It comprises two steel, open-sided structures with gabled metal and translucent sheet roofs. Within the structures, longitudinal rows of steel framing support the lanterns used in cane crossing.
Heritage listing.
Meringa Sugar Experiment Station was listed on the Queensland Heritage Register on 18 July 2014 having satisfied the following criteria.
The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history.
The Meringa Sugar Experiment Station (SES) was established in 1917 as the first and only Entomological Station of the Queensland Government's Bureau of Sugar Experiment Stations (BSES). It is a product of the Queensland Government's efforts to assist the Queensland sugar industry, which has been an important part of the Queensland economy since the 1860s.
The Entomologist's residence (1917) is important surviving evidence of the period when Meringa was an Entomological station. The 1935 implement and tractor shed and the 1957 glasshouse are both products of the sugar breeding program conducted at Meringa from the mid-1930s, while the 1960s office buildings are evidence of the peak period of staffing at Meringa. The crossing facility (1977–80) and the photoperiod facility (1986–2008) are important evidence of leading technological advancements in the plant breeding program.
The place is also the site of important scientific endeavours, including: the introduction of cane toads into Queensland; breeding new sugar cane varieties; and testing insecticides to control sugar cane pests.
The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a particular class of cultural places.
The Meringa SES research complex is important in demonstrating the main components of a Sugar Experiment Station that has evolved, and continues to evolve, over time. These include residential, office, and laboratory buildings; plus a glasshouse, implement and tractor shed, land for experimental crops and other structures associated with the breeding program, such as crossing and photoperiod facilities.
The place has a special association with the life or work of a particular person, group or organisation of importance in Queensland's history.
The Meringa SES has a long and special association (since 1917) with Queensland's BSES, and with the work of the BSES's notable research scientists, including E Jarvis, JF Illingworth, EJ Barke, RW Mungomery, JH Buzacott, G Bates, G Wilson, and Alan Parkhurst Dodd. Since 1900 the BSES has played a crucial role in the development of the Queensland and Australian sugar industry. Sugar Research Australia, formed in 2013, incorporates Queensland's BSES and continues this important association, with the Meringa SES now the major breeding station for the whole Australian sugar industry.


Isaac Balsam

Isaac Balsam (1880–1945) started the first Chalav Yisrael dairy farm on the East Coast, and possibly in the United States. Balsam was born in Mielec (Melitz), Poland, and was a Melitzer Chassid. He emigrated to the United States in 1898, lived initially with his uncle, Meyer Emmer, and worked on Emmer's dairy farm for about five years. In 1903, Balsam established his own dairy farm in Ozone Park, Queens. At its peak, the Balsam farm had 300 cows.
Balsam also ran a plant that processed milk from other farms. That milk was not Chalav Yisrael, because it had not been supervised from the time of the milking. However, the bottles were clearly labeled, so that it was easy to distinguish between the milk that was Chalav Yisrael and that which was not. The Balsam dairy farm remained in business until 1963. The area in which the farm was located is currently known as Balsam Village.
Balsam built a synagogue on his farm, Congregation B’nei Jacob, for which he was the sole support, and gave generously to charitable causes.
Family.
Balsam was the fourth of ten children. His parents were Jacob Balsam (1850?-1923?) and Bliema Necha Emmer (1860?-1932?). Balsam's three older siblings were Jacob's children from his first wife, Sarah Emmer, older sister of Bliema Necha, who was married to Jacob until her death (around 1878).
Balsam married Sarah Eisig (1880–1945), his first cousin, in 1902. Among their children was Paul Balsam (1905–1972), who served on the New York State Supreme Court from 1965-1972. Their other children were Maxwell (1903–1978), Morris (1907–1990), Rose (Isaacs) (1910–1999), Leon (1912–1995), and Nathan (1917–1996); in addition, one daughter died in infancy. They had twelve grandchildren, eleven of whom survived to adulthood. After his father's death, Balsam brought his mother to America, and she lived out her days on the Balsam farm. Balsam died in 1945, and his wife died seven months later; both were 65.
Maxwell, Morris, and Nathan helped run the farm over the years, especially after their father's death.


Steven McCleerey

Steven McCleerey is an American politician and farmer who served as a member of the South Dakota House of Representatives for the first district. Elected in 2015, McCleerey serves as Assistant House Democratic Leader.
Early life and education.
McCleerey was born and raised in Sisseton, South Dakota. He attended South Dakota State University, where he studied Agriculture.
Career.
Prior to entering politics, McCleerey worked as a grain farmer. McCleerey took office on December 13, 2015, and represents the first district with Republican Tamara St. John. McCleerey is a member of the South Dakota Democratic Party. He endorsed Hillary Clinton in the 2016 United States presidential election and Joe Biden in the 2020 United States presidential election. McCleerey is a member of the House Committee on Commerce and Energy, Military and Veterans Affairs, Retirement Laws, and State Affairs.


List of breweries and wineries in South Dakota

This is list of breweries in South Dakota. South Dakota is one of 14 U.S. states that forbids small breweries from directly distributing beer products. Small breweries are required to use a distributor, per South Dakota law.


Allansford Cheese World Museum

The Cheese World Museum is part of the Allansford Cheese World Tourist complex, located in Allansford, Victoria. The museum contains objects and exhibits related to the farming industry and the history of Australia's dairy industry, including cheese and butter making implements.
The museum is located on the site of the original Warrnambool Cheese and Butter factory, which was established in 1888. The museum also exhibits the history of the company and the growth of the dairy industry in Victoria from the early 1900s.
As well as covering dairy history, the museum also houses a wide range of motor engines and motoring accessories which have been donated and are maintained by the Warrnambool & District Historical Vehicle Club. This collection includes the Dave Lee Vintage Engine Collection, which contains over 110 engines donated by Dave Lee, who was a water hole boring contractor and windmill merchant in the Warrnambool district as well as a Ruston & Hornsby tractor engine.
Awards.
The museum was nominated for the Archival Survival award for volunteer-run museums category at the 2014 Victorian Museum Awards.


Newry Station

Newry Station is a pastoral lease in the Northern Territory of Australia. It adjoins the Territory's border with Western Australia and is operated as a cattle station by the Consolidated Pastoral Company (CPC).
Description.
The station contains black soil, forest and stony ridge country. It carries 15,000 head of cattle, turning off 4,000 head of weaner steers and spayed heifers annually. The cattle are trucked to Argyle Downs, operated by the same company, eventually entering the live export trade to Southeast Asian markets. The property bounded to the east by Auvergne Station.
History.
Named after the Irish port of Newry, the property was first taken up in 1886, with a homestead built on the banks of the Keep River. Cattle were introduced after the lease was bought by pastoralist Patrick Durack who spent two years droving a herd of 7,000 cattle and horses 5,000 km across northern Australia to the Ord River region where they established several cattle stations.
By 1901 the station, along with Argyle and Auvergne, was carrying about 45,000 head of cattle.
The property remained with the Durack family until 1950 when it was sold to the Australian Agricultural Company. AAC introduced Santa Gertrudis cattle, before achieving better results through crossing Brahmans with Kimberley Shorthorns. In 1986 it was bought by the Baines River Cattle Company. It was eventually purchased, along with other properties, by CPC in 1992.
A deposit of rare zebra rock was found on the station in 2011, which was mined by the Kimberley Stone company. Employing a workforce of two, the company used low impact mining to extract the stone for local markets. In June 2017, the company announced it would be closing operations in order to protect the site for future generations.
Conservation.
Much of the pastoral lease lies within the Keep River Important Bird Area, so classified because of the importance of its habitats for conservation of the endangered Gouldian finch. A 400 ha site within the property – the Newry Station Gouldian finch site – is listed on Australia's Register of the National Estate.


Do Re Mi (Woody Guthrie song)

"Do Re Mi" is a folksong by American songwriter Woody Guthrie. The song deals with the experiences and reception of Dust Bowl migrants when they arrive in California. It is known for having two guitar parts, both recorded by Guthrie.
Background.
Written by Woody Guthrie, the song is included on his 1940 folk album "Dust Bowl Ballads". It takes the form of a warning to would-be migrants to stay where they are (places of origin mentioned include Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Georgia and Tennessee). The argument is made on the basis that there are already too many migrants, and not enough money or work available to make the hardships and expense of the trip worthwhile.
The message of the song parallels a theme of John Steinbeck's seminal novel "The Grapes of Wrath", wherein the Joad family makes a dangerous, expensive trip from their home in Oklahoma to California. They encounter a fellow Dust Bowl migrant at a roadside rest-stop who tells them to turn back, echoing the cautionary tone of the song. He cites his own loss and misfortune (he mentions the trials of his dead wife and his underfed children 'moaning like pups') as a warning to others to avoid the same fate. Continuing on in spite of this, the Joads arrive in California nearly penniless, and having buried the two oldest members of the family. There they find there is indeed not enough work or pay to make ends meet.
The song appeared on the album "Dust Bowl Ballads" and was later released on the compilation "Bound for Glory". It is heavily referenced in AJJ's song "Survival Song."
"Do Re Mi" was covered by Cisco Houston, Ry Cooder on his self-titled debut album in 1971, by Nanci Griffith on her 1993 album "Other Voices, Other Rooms" (duet with Guy Clark), by Ani DiFranco on her 2000 EP "Swing Set" and on the Woody Guthrie tribute "'Til We Outnumber Em", by Dave Alvin on his live CD "Interstate City", by Bob Dylan in "The People Speak" documentary in 2009, and by Dan Crary on the album Flatpicking Guitar.


Regional Rural Bank

Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) are Indian Scheduled Commercial Banks (Government Banks) operating at regional level in different States of India. They have been created with a view of serving primarily the rural areas of India with basic banking and financial services. However, RRBs may have branches set up for urban operations and their area of operation may include urban areas too.
The area of operation of RRBs is limited to the area as notified by Government of India covering one or more districts in the State.
RRBs also perform a variety of different functions.
RRBs perform various functions in following heads:
History.
Regional Rural Banks were established under the provisions of an Ordinance passed on 26 September 1975 and the RRB Act 1976 to provide sufficient banking and credit facility for agriculture and other rural sectors. As a result, Five Regional Rural Banks were set up on 2 October 1975,Gandhi Jayanti. These were set up on the recommendations of the narshimham committee Working Group during the tenure of Indira Gandhi's Government with a view to include rural areas into economic mainstream since that time about 70% of the Indian Population was of Rural Orientation.
The development process of RRBs started on 2 October 1975,Gandhi Jayanti with the forming of the five RRBs. First RRB, the Prathama Bank, Head Office at Moradabad (U.P.) with authorised capital of Rs 5 crore at its starting. Prathama bank was sponsored by Syndicate Bank. As on 2 October 1975 Out of the remaining four RRBs in the country one was Set up at Malda in West Bengal under the name of Gaur Gramin Bank, (Sponsored Bank: UCO Bank) which was the first RRB in the Eastern Region of India. Other three RRBs are Gorakhpur Kshetriya Gramin Bank, Gorakhpur, U.P. (Sponsored Bank: SBI), Haryana Kshetriya Gramin Bank Bhiwani, Haryana (Sponsored Bank: PNB), Jaipur-Nagpur Anchalik Gramin Bank Jaipur, Rajasthan (Sponsored Bank: UCO Bank).
The Regional Rural Banks were owned by the Central Government, the State Government and the Sponsor Bank (Any commercial bank can sponsor the regional rural banks) who held shares in the ratios as follows Central Government – 50%, State Government – 15% and Sponsor Banks – 35%.
Recapitalization.
Subsequent to review of the financial status of RRBs by the Union Finance Minister in August, 2009, it was felt that a large number of RRBs had a low Capital to Risk weighted Assets Ratio (CRAR). A committee was therefore constituted in September, 2009 under the Chairmanship of K C Chakrabarty, Deputy Governor, RBI to analyse the financials of the RRBs and to suggest measures including re-capitalisation to bring the CRAR of RRBs to at least 9% in a sustainable manner by 2012. The Committee submitted its report in May, 2010. The following points were recommended by the committee:
The Government of India recently approved the recapitalization of Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) to improve their Capital to Risk Weighted Assets Ratio (CRAR) in the following manner:
Organizational structure.
The organizational structure for RRB's varies from branch to branch and depends upon the nature and size of business done by the branch.
The Head Office of an RRB normally had three to nine departments.
The following is the decision making hierarchy of officials in a Regional Rural Bank.
Amalgamation.
Currently, RRB's are going through a process of amalgamation and consolidation. 25 RRBs have been amalgamated in January 2013 into 10 RRBs. This counts 67 RRBs till the first week of June 2013. This counts 56 as of March 2015.
On 31 March 2016, there were 56 RRBs (post-merger) covering 525 districts with a network of 14,494 branches. All RRBs were originally conceived as low cost institutions having a rural ethos, local feel and pro poor focus. However, within a very short time, most banks were making losses. The original assumptions as to the low cost nature of these institutions were belied. This may be again amalgamated in near future. With the third phase of amalgamation of RRB bringing down the number of such entities to 38 from 56. As of 1 April 2020, there are 43 RRBs in India.
Legal existence and protection.
RRB are recognized by the law and they have legal significance. The Regional Rural Banks Act, 1976 Act No. 21 Of 1976 [9 February 1976.] reads
"For the incorporation, regulation and winding up of Regional Rural Banks with a view to developing the rural economy by providing, for the purpose of development of agriculture, trade, commerce, industry and other productive activities in the rural areas, credit and other facilities, particularly to the small and marginal farmers, agricultural laborers, artisans and small entrepreneurs, and for matters connected therewith and incidental thereto".
List of Regional Rural banks.
Presently there are 43 RRBs in India Since 1 April 2020
Andhra Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh
Assam
Bihar
 Gramin Bank
Chhattisgarh
Gujarat
Haryana
Himachal Pradesh
Jammu and Kashmir
Jharkhand
Karnataka
Kerala
Madhya Pradesh
Maharashtra
Manipur
Meghalaya
Mizoram
Nagaland
Odisha
Puducherry
Punjab
Rajasthan
Tamil Nadu
Telangana
Tripura
Uttar Pradesh
 Bank
 Gramin Bank
Uttarakhand
West Bengal


Cochin chicken

The Cochin is a breed of large domestic chicken. It derives from large feather-legged chickens brought from China to Europe and North America in the 1840s and 1850s. It is reared principally for exhibition. It was formerly known as Cochin-China.
History.
Like the Brahma, the Cochin derives from very large feather-legged chickens brought from China to Europe and North America in the 1840s and 1850s. These were at first known as "Shanghai" birds, and later as "Cochin-Chinas". The large size and striking appearance of these birds contributed to a sudden large increase of interest in poultry-breeding in Western countries, sometimes described as "hen fever".
The Cochin was included in the first edition of the "Standard of Excellence in Exhibition Poultry", prepared by William Bernhardt Tegetmeier for the first Poultry Club of Great Britain in 1865. The colours described are buff, black, cinnamon, grouse, lemon, partridge, silver buff, silver cinnamon, and white. Bantam Cochins were not listed.
The Cochin, both full-sized and bantam, was included in the first edition of the "Standard of Excellence" of the American Poultry Association in 1874. The original colours were white, partridge, buff and black; other colours were later added.
Characteristics.
The most distinctive feature of the Cochin is the excessive plumage that covers leg and foot. The skin beneath the feathers is yellow.
In the United Kingdom the recognised colour varieties, for large fowl only, are black, blue, buff, cuckoo, partridge and grouse, and white; Cochin bantams are not recognised by the Poultry Club of Great Britain. The Entente Européenne lists the same nine colours for full-sized Cochins, and twenty-four for the bantam; any of the bantam varieties may be frizzled, with the feathers curling outwards. The American Poultry Association recognises nine colours for the full-sized bird – barred, black, blue, brown, buff, golden-laced, partridge, silver-laced, and white; the same colours are recognised for the bantam, with the addition of four more: birchen, Columbian, mottled, and red.
Use.
The Cochin has been bred principally for exhibition, at the expense of productive characteristics. It is a good layer of very large tinted eggs, and lays well in winter. The hens are good sitters and good mothers, and may be used to hatch the eggs of turkeys and ducks. The meat tends to be coarse in texture and excessively dark; capons slaughtered at an age of 12–16 months provide a good large table bird.


National Lamb Day

National Lamb Day is an annual observance that occurs in New Zealand on the 24th of May.
Overview.
The first National Lamb Day was celebrated on the 15th of February, to commemorate the day in 1882 that William Davidson and Thomas Brydone launched the first shipment of frozen sheep meat from Port Chalmers, Otago, New Zealand on the "Dunedin", bound for London. In 2018, National Lamb Day was changed to the 24th of May to reflect the arrival of the shipment in London. In 2018, Beef + Lamb New Zealand celebrated National Lamb Day by commissioning a giant lamb chop which visited various landmarks around New Zealand.
History of New Zealand lamb exports.
The "Dunedin"’s voyage was organized by William Soltau Davidson, the British-based general manager of the New Zealand and Australian Land Company, whose landholdings in the two countries exceeded 1 million hectares. Davidson had taken an interest in refrigerated experiments, which had proved the concept, if not yet the economic viability, of shipping frozen meat around the globe.
About 5,000 carcasses were on board the "Dunedin" when it sailed from New Zealand on 15 February. On arrival in London on 24 May, only one carcass had to be condemned, and the cargo’s superiority over Australian shipments was remarked upon. More than a single successful shipment was needed to create a new industry. The new technology ultimately enabled the owner-operated (family) farm to become the standard economic unit in rural New Zealand for the next century.


Shamo chickens

Shamo (軍鶏) is an overall designation for gamefowl in Japan. There are seven recognised breeds of Shamo chicken in Japan, all of which are designated Natural Monuments of Japan. The Shamo breeds are thought to derive from fighting chickens of Malay type brought from Thailand in the early part of the seventeenth century.
History.
The name "Shamo" was a corruption of the word "Siam", which means "Thailand", during the early Edo period. Even though the breed was originally from Thailand, it has been selectively bred for several hundred years and is very different from the original stock. The breed is used in naked-heeled cockfighting in Japan, where it is still legal. It is also bred all over the world for its show quality and unique upright posture.
O-Shamo and Chu-Shamo are designations for different weight categories of large fowl, whereas the Nankin-Shamo is a bantam chicken. The Ko Shamo (シャモ), unlike O-Shamo and Chu-Shamo, is merely an ornamental breed not used for cockfighting, although it is bred to be temperamental and show the spirit of a fighter. While it is not related to the other breeds, it is often assumed to be because of the similarity of their names.
Breeds.
The seven recognised Shamo breeds designated as Natural Monuments of Japan are:
Other Shamo variants are the Chu-Shamo (medium Shamo, 中軍鶏) and the Chibi Shamo.
In the West.
In the United Kingdom, the Shamo, Ko-Shamo, Nankin Shamo, Yakido and Yamato Gunkei are recognised as distinct breeds, while Chu-Shamo and Chibi Shamo receive a passing mention in the "British Poultry Standards". The Entente Européenne recognises the Shamo, Ko-Shamo, Yakido and Yamato Gunkei, and lists the Chu-Shamo and Nankin Shamo as unrecognised. The Australian Poultry Standards have only one form of Shamo, which has a minimum weight of 3 kg. The American Poultry Association recognises the Shamo as a breed, both full-sized and bantam.


Tibradden Station

Tibradden or Tibradden Station is a pastoral lease that currently operates as a cattle station and had previously operated as a sheep station.
It is located about north east of Greenough and east of Geraldton in the Mid West region of Western Australia. The name Tibradden is taken from the name of an estate in Ireland near Dublin.
The property comprising had been established in 1852 and was owned by John S. Davis, J. P. Walcott and M. Logue, who dissolved their partnership in 1854. The land was divided, with Davis' portion retaining the name of Tibradden and comprising approximately , Walcott naming his Miininooka, and Logue calling his Ellendale.
The property was running sheep in 1875 and was selling breeding ewes and rams.


Federweisser

Federweisser (also Federweißer , from German "Feder", "feather", and "weiß", "white"; from the appearance of the suspended yeast, also known as "Sturm", from German "Sturm", "storm" in Austria), is an alcoholic beverage, typically 9% alcohol by volume, although versions of up to 13.5% alcohol by volume are not uncommon. (In contrast to all other alcoholic beverages, the alcohol content stated on a bottle of Federweisser is inconclusive, and presents an uppermost limit, not the actual content at any given time.) It is the product of fermented freshly pressed grape juice, known as "must". The term in principle includes all stages of fermentation from must to finished wine.
Across continental Europe, it is known as "Suser", "Sauser", "Neuer Süßer" (new sweet), or "Junger Wein" (young wine) in Southwest Germany, Switzerland and South Tyrol, "Fiederwäissen" in Luxembourg, "Sturm" (storm, from the cloudy appearance) in Austria, "Federweißer" in Bavaria, "Neuer Wein" (new wine) in the Palatinate, "Federweiser" in Franconia, "burčiak" in Slovakia, "burčák" in Czech Republic, or in France, or in Hungary, "მაჭარი" (machari) in Georgia, "մաճառ" (machar) in Armenia.
Fermentation.
Once yeast has been added, grapes begin to ferment rapidly. The sugar contained in the grapes is broken down into alcohol and carbon dioxide (glycolysis). As soon as an alcohol content of four percent has been reached, Federweißer may be sold. It continues to ferment until all the sugar has been broken down and an alcohol content of about ten percent has been reached.
As a beverage.
Due to the carbonation, Federweißer tastes quite refreshing, not unlike a light grape soda or a sweet sparkling wine. As fermentation progresses, however, Federweißer may increasingly assume a darker, often amber-like or light brown hue. In general, Federweißer is made from white grapes; when made from red grapes, the drink is called "Federroter", "Roter Sauser", or "Roter Rauscher". Federroter is less common than Federweißer. Because of rapid fermentation, Federweißer can not be stored for long and should be consumed within a few days of purchase. As carbonic acid is constantly produced, the bottles can not be sealed airtight and have a permeable lid (they would burst otherwise). They must be stored in an upright position to allow the gas to continuously escape from the bottle and to prevent spilling.
Progressing fermentation was also a challenge in transporting bottled Federweisser over long distances before the advent of modern-day commercial traffic and refrigerated vehicles, the latter of which are needed to slow down the yeast's metabolism during transport. Therefore, in the old days, Federweisser was almost exclusively available (and, for the most part, known) in and around wine-growing regions.
Depending on the date of the grape harvest, it is available from early September to late October, and is generally served together with savoury food. The classic combination is Federweißer and Zwiebelkuchen, although Federweißer and chestnuts is also popular.
Federweißer contains yeast, lactic acid bacteria, and a large amount of vitamin B1 and B2.


Blackwood Valley

Blackwood Valley is a wine region in the south-west of Western Australia, approximately 260 km (160 mi) south-south-east of Perth.
The region was named after the Blackwood River, the longest continually flowing river in Western Australia. The river passes through the towns of Bridgetown, Greenbushes, Nannup, Balingup and Boyup Brook within the region.
History and industry.
The Blackwood Valley region was settled in the late 1800s, and timber, horticulture, wool and other farming sustained the region. Blackwood Valley extends approximately to Geographe Bay in the west and north, Manjimup in the south, and Great Southern in the south-east.
It is part of the wine industry in Western Australia. The first vines were planted in the Blackwood Crest winery, located in the north-east of the region, in 1976 by Max Fairbrass. The region produces mainly white wines, and the vineyards in the region number around 50. The harvest time is between late February and early April.
Climate and geography.
The climate of the region is Mediterranean, suitable for the growth of white wine vines including Chardonnay and Riesling, as well as red wine grapes like Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. This climate is characterised by moderate temperatures, with rainfall more predominant in the winter months and relatively dry summer months. However, winter frosts occasionally extend through into early spring, which can cause damage to the vines.
The region varies in elevation, from 100 metres in the west to 340 metres in the east. The annual rainfall range is from 600 to 900 millimetres.
The soil in the area is heavily dictated by the topography. A series of smaller valleys which run throughout the region, where the soil is thinner on the slopes than at the base of the valleys where alluvial-type sediment is found. The topography and loamy soil promotes well-drained land suitable for vineyards.


Akhal-Teke

The Akhal-Teke ( or ; from Turkmen "Ahalteke", ) is a Turkmen horse breed. They have a reputation for speed and endurance, intelligence, and a distinctive metallic sheen. The shiny coat of the breed led to their nickname, "Golden Horses". These horses are adapted to severe climatic conditions and are thought to be one of the oldest existing horse breeds. There are currently about 6,600 Akhal-Tekes in the world, mostly in Turkmenistan, although they are also found throughout Europe and North America. Akhal is the name of the line of oases along the north slope of the Kopet Dag mountains in Turkmenistan. It has been inhabited by the Tekke tribe of Turkmens.
There are several theories regarding the original ancestry of the Akhal-Teke, some dating back thousands of years. It is probable that Akhal Teke is a descendant of an older breed known as the Turkoman horse, and some claim it is the same breed. The tribes of Turkmenistan selectively bred the horses, recording their pedigrees orally and using them for raiding. The breed was used in the losing fight against the Russian Empire, and was subsumed into the Empire along with its country. The Turkoman has influenced many other breeds, including modern warmbloods, and recent research confirms that Turkoman stallions made significant contributions to the development of the Thoroughbred. However, there also exists the possibility that all Akhal-Tekes today have a Thoroughbred sire line. The studbook was closed in 1932. The Soviet Union printed the first stud book for the breed in 1941, including over 700 horses.
Breed characteristics.
The Akhal-Teke typically stands between . These horses are well known for those individuals who have a golden buckskin or palomino color, a result of the cream gene, a dilution gene that also produces the perlino and cremello colors. A number of other colors are recognized, including bay, black, chestnut, and grey. Aficionados of the breed claim that the color pattern served as camouflage in the desert. Many Akhal-Tekes have a natural metallic sheen to their coat, particularly noticeable in those with cream gene colors.
The Akhal-Teke has a refined head with predominantly a straight or slightly convex profile, and long ears. It can also have almond-shaped or "hooded" eyes. The mane and tail are usually sparse. The long back is lightly muscled, and is coupled to a flat croup and long, upright neck. The Akhal-Teke possess sloping shoulders and thin skin.
The breed is tough and resilient, having adapted to the harshness of Turkmenistan lands, where horses must live without much food or water. This has also made the horses good for sport. The breed is known for its endurance, as shown in 1935 when a group of Turkmen riders rode the from Ashgabat to Moscow in 84 days, including a three-day crossing of of desert without water. The Akhal-Teke is also known for its form and grace as a show jumper.
The quality of the Akhal-Teke horses are determined by the studbook manager. Depending on type, conformation, pedigree, quality of offspring and achievement in sport, the horses are designated as either Elite or Class I or Class II. There are usually 2 annual grading events in Moscow, Russia called the "International Sport Meeting and World Championship “Heavenly Argamak”" and "Golden Akhal-Teke Cup Shael" where breeders present their best horses to a group of judges. At the World Championship a group of judges evaluate the horses in age and gender categories as well as in various sport disciplines and a halter class.
History.
The ancestors of the breed may date back to animals living 3,000 years ago, known by a number of names, but most often as the Nisean horse. The precise ancestry is difficult to trace, however, because prior to about 1600 AD, horse breeds in the modern sense did not exist; rather, horses were identified by local strain or type.
The breed is very similar to, and possibly the direct descendant of the Turkoman horse, a breed believed to be extinct, though a related strain may be bred today in Iran. Other breeds or strains with Turkoman roots also include the Yomud, Goklan and the Nokhorli. Some historians believe that these are different strains of the same breed. Other ancient strains that may have contributed to the breed included those named the Massaget and Parthian.
It remains a disputed "chicken or egg" question whether the influential Arabian was the ancestor of the Turkoman or was developed out of that breed, but current DNA evidence points to a possible common ancestor for both. A substantial number of Arabian mares were reportedly been used to improve the breed in the 14th and 19th century. It is also possible that the so-called "hot blooded" breeds, the Arabian, Turkoman, Akhal-Teke, and the Barb all developed from a single "oriental horse" predecessor.
Tribal people in what today is Turkmenistan first used the Akhal-Teke for raiding. The horses were their most treasured possession since they were crucial for income and survival. They selectively bred their horses, keeping records of the pedigrees via an oral tradition. Horses were managed and trained in very specific ways. Stallions were tethered next to the tent while mares and foals were free to seek forage. The stallions were covered from head to tail with up to seven layers of felt, which kept their coat short and shiny. Before raids they were put on a sparse diet to prepare them for the long ride through the desert with no water and hardly any feed. The horses were called "Argamaks" (divine or Sacred Horses) by the Russians, and were cherished by those who valued their speed and stamina in the desert and loyalty to their owner. Han emperors from China sacrificed armies to obtain just a few of the precious "Argamaks".
In 1881, Turkmenistan became part of the Russian Empire. The tribes fought with the tsar, eventually losing. In the process, however, the Russian general Kuropatkin developed a fondness for horses he had seen while fighting the tribesmen, founded a breeding farm after the war and renamed the horses, "Akhal-Tekes", after the Teke Turkmen tribe that lived around the Akhal oasis (near Geok Tepe). The Russians closed the studbook in 1932 which included 287 stallions and 468 mares. Stallions are not gelded in Central Asia. The studbook was printed in 1941.
The ancestral Akhal-Teke has had influence on many breeds, possibly including the Thoroughbred; the Byerly Turk, which may have been an Arabian, or a Turkoman Horse, was one of the three major foundation stallions of the breed. Three other stallions thought to be of Turkoman origin, known as the "Lister Turk", the "White Turk", and the "Yellow Turk" were among a number of minor stallions from the orient who contributed to the foundation bloodstock of the Thoroughbred breed. The Trakehner has also been influenced by the Akhal-Teke, most notably by the stallion, Turkmen-Atti, as have the Russian breeds Don, Budyonny, Karabair, and Karabakh.
The breed suffered greatly when the Soviet Union required horses to be slaughtered for meat, even though local Turkmen refused to eat them. At one point only 1,250 horses remained and export from the Soviet Union was banned. The government of Turkmenistan now uses the horses as diplomatic presents as well as auctioning a few to raise money for improved horse breeding programs.
In the early twentieth century, crossbreeding between the Thoroughbred and the Akhal-Teke took place, aiming to create a faster long-distance racehorse. The Anglo Akhal-Tekes were not so resilient however, as their Akhal-Teke ancestors, and many died due to the harsh conditions of Central Asia. After the endurance race from Ashkabad to Moscow in 1935, when the purebreds finished in much better condition than the part-breds, the studbook management decided to consider all crossbred horses born after 1936, as not purebred. Horses with English Thoroughbred ancestors born prior to that date were allowed to remain inside the studbook (e.g. 044 Tillyakush, grandson of Thoroughbred Burlak, 831 Makh, granddaughter of Thoroughbred Blondelli and great-great-granddaughter of Thoroughbred Junak, and line founder 9 Ak Belek, a direct descendant in the male line of the Thoroughbred stallion Fortingbrass). Due to this fact there doesn't exist any Akhal-Teke today whose ancestry doesn't contain a Thoroughbred. Since 1973, all foals must be blood typed to be accepted in the stud book in order to protect the integrity of the breed. From 2014 on, a DNA test based on hair follicles is sufficient if the DNA of the parents is on file. A stallion not producing the right type of horse may be removed. Nowadays, artificial insemination is allowed as well as embryo transfer. The surrogate mother, however, needs to be a pureblood Akhal-Teke mare for the foal to be registered in the General Studbook as a pureblood Akhal-Teke.
Akhal-Teke horses are bred all over the world. In addition to Turkmenistan there are breeders in Russia and Central Asia, Europe, the US, Uruguay, and Australia.
Turkmenistan.
Turkmenistan has a separate agency, Turkmen Atlary, responsible for the breeding, training and maintenance of Akhal-Teke horses. However, the agency's work has been the focus of criticism from the President of the country, who holds the agency responsible for decreasing numbers of horses and inadequate facilities for their breeding, training and management. At present Akhal-Teke horses in Turkmenistan are not registered with any other studbook. The main reason for this are allegations of a heavy infusion of Thoroughbred blood into the breed to create faster horses for racing in Turkmenistan. There are estimates that as many as 30% of the horses in the Ashgabat hippodrome were not purebred.
When the first horse minister of newly independent Turkmenistan, Geldy Kyarizov, a lifelong advocate for the Akhal-Teke and former chair of the International Association of Akhal-Teke Breeders, began utilizing DNA to establish an Akhal-Teke studbook, he uncovered the pattern of adding in Thoroughbred blood. His decision to go public with this information was viewed as a threat to the profits of the horse-breeding establishment and he fell out of favor with the Turkmenistan government, and in particular, then-President Saparmurat Niyazov.
He was charged with abuse of office and negligence in 2002, convicted and sentenced to six years in prison. He was ultimately pardoned in October 2007, when Niyazov died and his successor, Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov, took control of the country. By 2012, Kyarizov's health, which had been poor since his arrest and subsequent imprisonment, had deteriorated to the point he needed to go abroad for medical care, but was initially prevented from leaving the country. By 2015, he was allowed to travel to Moscow for medical care, but family members, including his 14-year-old daughter, were forced to remain behind to "guarantee" his return. Ultimately, in September, 2015, the entire family was allowed to leave.
Turkmen Atlary, in its capacity as the administrative arm of the International Akhal-Teke Horse Association, hosts a meeting of the association once or twice a year upon invitation in Ashgabat. Most of the bigger breeding farms and national Akhal Teke associations as well as Akhal Teke owners and representatives of the horse industry from around the world attend. There is a horse racing organization called "Galkinysh" . In Ashgabat, the Ahalteke equestrian complex, one of the largest in Central Asia, is a horse-breeding center. The former Akhal-Teke horse Holiday, celebrated on the last Sunday in April, has been renamed 'Turkmen Horse Day'
Uses.
The Akhal-Teke, due to its natural athleticism, can be a sport horse, good at dressage, show jumping, eventing, racing, and endurance riding. A noted example was the Akhal-Teke stallion, "Absent", who won the Grand Prix de Dressage at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, while being ridden by Sergei Filatov. He went again with Filatov to win the bronze individual medal in Tokyo in the 1964 Summer Olympics, and won the Soviet team gold medal under Ivan Kalita at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. However, by today's studbook standards he wouldn't be admitted as Akhal-Teke, owing to the Thoroughbred ancestry of his dam Bakkara.
In 2009, an Akhal-Teke named Almila carried the French poet Laurence Bougault on a trek alone from Isfahan in Iran to Paris by way of Turkey, Greece and Italy. Her trip covered 6,500 kilometres (4,000 mi) in less than six months.
Genetic diseases.
There are several genetic diseases of concern to Akhal-Teke breeders. The genetic diversity of the breed is relatively low with an AVK (Ancestor Loss Coefficient ) of 30-50%, which raises concerns for dealing with an increase in carriers of these conditions, and even some risk of inbreeding depression. To date, there are no DNA tests for these conditions.
Others.
Akhal-Tekes are represented in the official coat of arms and banknotes of Turkmenistan, as well as on stamps of Turkmenistan and other countries.
Monuments.
In different cities of Turkmenistan are monuments to the Akhal-Teke. The largest number of sculptures is located in Ashgabat.


Matt Gilsenan

Matthew "Matt" Gilsenan (28 October 1915 – 6 April 2013) was an Irish Gaelic footballer and selector who played as a left wing-forward at senior level for the Meath county team.
Gilsenan made his first appearance for the team during the 1935 championship and was a regular member of the starting fifteen until his retirement after the 1946 championship. During that time he won two Leinster medals. Gilsenan was an All-Ireland runner-up on one occasion.
At club level Gilsenan was a county football championship medalist with moynalty GFC.
In retirement from playing Gilsenan became involved in coaching and team management. He served as a selector at various times between 1939 and 1970, a period which saw Meath win three All-Ireland titles and eleven Leinster titles.


Cook Inlet Aquaculture Association

The Cook Inlet Aquaculture Association or CIAA is a non-profit organization based in Kenai, Alaska that works to create sustainable salmon stocks in the Cook Inlet area.
Initially the Alaska Department of Fish and Game ran most hatchery programs in Alaska, but as commercial fishermen began to see the benefits of such programs and began their own organizations in the 1970s and 1980s, ADF&G gradually phased itself out and co-ordinated efforts with privately run hatchery organizations like CIAA, one of eight regional aquaculture associations in Alaska. By 2001 CIAA was able to release 85 million salmon fry in a single year. It is estimated that 20-30% of commercially caught salmon in this region were spawned at CIAA hatcheries. The Association's programs include hatcheries that produce salmon fry, which are released in streams and lakes; construction and maintenance of salmon migration routes, referred to as "fishways"; and scientific research into salmon breeding and behavior patterns. CIAA works closely with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, who still own two of the three hatcheries operated by CIAA.
Because of the importance of salmon to Alaska's economy, CIAA has at times been involved in controversy involving the tug-of-war between commercial and sport fisheries, and was at the center of a prolonged lawsuit involving its Trail Lakes hatchery.
In 2010 a brown bear attacked a small boy in an area adjacent to the Association's fish weir near Bear Lake, leading some in the area to call for the closing of that facility, as they felt it was attracting bears. However, the victim believed the bear was actually after berries and was simply startled by the boy's sudden arrival.
External links.
[[Category:Aquaculture in the United States]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska]]
[[Category:Non-profit organizations based in Alaska]]
[[Category:Agriculture in Alaska]]


Clos Mogador

Clos Mogador produces estate bottled wines in Gratallops, Catalonia in the DOQ Priorat. Founded in 1979 by René Barbier III and his wife, Isabelle Meyer, the winery was part of a new wave of "Clos" wineries that released their first joint 1989 vintage to great acclaim. They have gone on to garner impressive scores by wine critics and have built up one of the most well-known brands in all of Priorat.
History.
René Barbier III was descended from a family of French winemakers although he was born in Tarragona and grew up in Catalonia. Coming with his wife Isabelle Meyer and their young children to the Priorat region, he found a promising wine region that had for years been neglected although excellent wines had sometimes appeared such as the seminal 1974 vintage from Cellers de Scala Dei. This wine caught his and others attention and he was eventually able to gather a group to make a single wine together in the same cellar although released under different labels. There were initially 10 different labels which morphed in to the main five that are seen today. Ironically, despite being a defining wine for the region, at 12.5% alcohol it didn't qualify for DOQ certification as the minimum for a red wine is 13%.
In addition to their namesake Clos Mogador, with time they released a white wine called Nelin as well as another red called, Manyetes. The Clos Mogador was one of the first wines to be awards the "Vi de Finca" certification in Catalonia which signifies that it has been produced for over a decade from the same, single vineyard.
The name of the winery comes from "Les Gens de Mogador" ("The people of Mogador") which chronicles the rise and fall of a family from near Avignon in France on an imaginary estate called, Mogador and closely parallels the Barbier family history.


Friuli-Venezia Giulia wine

Friuli-Venezia Giulia wine (or Friuli wine) is wine made in the northeastern Italian region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia. Once part of the Venetian Republic and with sections under the influence of the Austro-Hungarian Empire for some time, the wines of the region have noticeable Slavic and Germanic influences. There are 11 "Denominazione di origine controllata" (DOC) and 3 "Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita" (DOCG) in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia area. The region has 3 "Indicazione Geografica Tipica" (IGT) designations "Alto Livenza, delle Venezie" and "Venezia Giulia". Nearly 62% of the wine produced in the region falls under a DOC designation. The area is known predominantly for its white wines which are considered some of the best examples of Italian wine in that style. Along with the Veneto and Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, the Friuli-Venezia Giulia forms the Tre Venezie wine region which ranks with Tuscany and Piedmont as Italy's world class wine regions.
History.
The winemaking history of the Friuli-Venezia Giulia has been strongly influenced by the history of the Friuli and Venezia Giulia regions that were important stops along the Mediterranean spice route from the Byzantine Empire to the trading center of Venice. During the Middle Ages, travelers passing through this area brought grapevines from Macedonia and Anatolia. Under the Habsburg reign, the French grape varieties were introduced. Prior to the phylloxera epidemic over 350 grape varieties were grown in the region. During the 19th century, the region served as a major Mediterranean port for the Austro-Hungarian Empire which bought a Teutonic influence to the area.
Following the phylloxera epidemic, winemaking in the Friuli region was very muted and did not begin to garner much attention till the 1970s. The international popularity of Pinot grigio in the 1980s and 1990s help to change the dynamic of Friuli-Venezia Giulia winemaking. Prior to this time vineyard owners sold their grapes in bulk to co-ops and "négociant"-like wineries that would blend the grapes together. With the success of Mario Schiopetto in bottling and marketing the product of his own vineyard, other vineyard owners followed suit and began opening up small wineries of their own.
Climate and geography.
The Friuli-Venezia Giulia region is bordered by the Alps to the north separating it from Austria. Slovenia borders the region on the east and the Italian region of Veneto forms the western border and part of the southern border with the Adriatic Sea. The northern half is very mountainous and gives way to flatter terrain and plains on the way to the sea. The climate is distinguished with very warm days and chilly nights that help maintain a balance in the grape between acidity and sugar levels and allows the grapes a long, slow growing season. In summertime the mean temperature is around 73 °F (22.8 °C) with rainfall averaging 60 inches (1,530 mm). Harvest normally takes place in September. The soils of the region vary from the calcium rich marl and flysch sandstone in the more hilly regions to clay, sand and gravel in the valley. The names of Friuli vineyards and wine estates often include the word "ronco" (plural "ronchi"), which is the Friulian word for a terraced hillside.
Wine regions.
Most of the vineyards of the Friuli-Venezia Giulia are located in the southern half of the region, including the large wine regions of Collio Goriziano, Colli Orientali del Friuli, Isonzo and Carso. The Lison-Pramaggiore region is shared with the Veneto. Smaller regions such as the Annia, Aquileia, Grave and Latisana are located in the central and western part of the region around the city of Pordenone. These smaller regions are located on alluvial plains with soils composed of gravel and sand. The wines made here are lighter and less elegant than the Friuli wines made in the major southern wine regions. Unlike other Friuli regions which require 100%, a varietal wine in the Graves and Aquileia zones only need 85% of the grape variety with the Latisana and Annia zones requiring 90%. More red wine is produced in these zones than in the rest of the Friuli with Merlot, Cabernet franc and Cabernet Sauvignon being the leading varietals. With wine production still, "frizzante" and "spumante" styles are produced from Chardonnay, Pinot bianco, Pinot grigio, Friulano and Verduzzo.
Collio and Colli Orientali del Friuli.
The southeast province of Gorizia is home to the DOCs of the Collio region, most notably Collio Goriziano. Part of the region's vineyards extend over the border with Slovenia but none of the Slovenian Wines can bear the designation Collio. The area benefits from its location among the foothills of the Alps where the cool winds that come off the Adriatic moderate the climate. The cool air helps maintain the acidity levels in the grape. The region's best vineyards are found in the clay and sandstone soil around the comune of Cormons. The region is dominated by white wine production, making five times more white than red wine. Collio wine is typically full bodied and rich, made as a varietal or blend of Friulano, Ribolla Gialla, Malvasia Istriana, Chardonnay, Pinot bianco, Pinot grigio and Sauvignon blanc. Red wine under the designation "Collio Rosso" is made from a blend of Merlot, Cabernet franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. The general "Collio Bianco" designation can also include the white grapes Müller-Thurgau, Picolit, Riesling, Traminer and Welschriesling as well as the white juice from the red wine grapes of Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot nero.
Located to the northwest of the Collio Goriziano, the Colli Orientali del Friuli DOC shares similar vineyard soils and climate as the Collio region. The grape varieties are also similar though Ribolla Gialla and Picolit takes a more prominent role here as does the local grape Verduzzo. The three grapes are used to make varietal wines under the Colli Orientali del Friuli DOC. Picolit is known particularly for the quality of the dessert wine it produces and has 2 DOCG dedicated to its production in Udine. Red wine production is also more prominent in this region though it is still less than half the production of white wine. The red wines include varietal forms of Merlot, Cabernet franc and Cabernet Sauvignon as well as red wines made from the local Pignolo, Refosco, Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso, Schioppettino and Tazzelenghe. The region is divided into 3 sub districts which include Ramandolo in the north and the DOCG of the same name as well as the dessert wine "Verduzzo di Ramandolo". In the center of the zone is the Cialla district which makes dry wines under the designation "Cialla Bianco" and "Cialla Rosso" as well as sweet and off dry wines made from Picolit and Verduzzo. Other notable wines from this district include Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso and "Cialla Schioppettino". The far southern district is the Corno di Rosazzo which is heavily planted with Ribolla Gialla that is believed to have originated in the vineyards of the local abbey over 1000 years ago. The area is also known for its off-dry to sweet "Rosazzo Picolit" and dry "Rosazzo Pignolo".
Isonzo and Carso.
The Isonzo and Carso wine regions are located in the far southeastern part of Friuli-Venezia Giulia bordering Slovenia. The Isonzo region is located on a plain of alluvial deposits directly south of Collio along the Isonzo river. The best vineyards are located in the northeast, close to Cormons. The wine regions predominately have a maritime climate with more rainfall than other Friuli regions. The region is known for its sparkling Pinot bianco as well as dry white wines made from Chardonnay, Malvasia Istriana and Sauvignon blanc. Other Isonzo DOC designated wines include dry, off dry and sparkling wines made from Gewürztraminer, Cabernet franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Franconia, Moscato Giallo, Moscato Rosa, Pinot grigio, Pinot nero, Refosco, Riesling, Schioppettino, Friulano, Verduzzo and Welschriesling. The "Vendemmia Tardiva" is a late harvest wine made from a varietal style or blend of Chardonnay, Pinot biano, Friulano and Verduzzo.
Located south of the Isonzo zone, near the city of Trieste, is the Carso zone. Situated on the Istrian Peninsula, the wine region has a maritime climate that is well suited to production of the local Terrano used to make red wine. Wines made from this grape are known for their high acidity and good food pairing with Slavic cuisine. The white wines made from the Malvasia Istriana are highly regarded for their honey-almond notes. Other Carso wines can be made from the following grapes; Vitovska, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot grigio, Sauvignon blanc, Traminer and Piccola nera.
Viticulture and winemaking.
The best vineyards in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia are located on the south facing slopes of the Alps foothills in the southern part of the region where they can benefit from the most direct sunlight to go along with the night-time cool breezes from the Adriatic. The vineyard yields of the Friuli are among the lowest in Italy averaging 3.5 tons an acre. This is a result of the Friuli quest for high quality over quantity in their wines and also a reason why these wines tend to be more costly than other Italian whites.
While white wine dominates Friuli wine production, nearly 40% of the production is red with Merlot being the leading red wine grape. In the 1960s, winemakers of the Friuli-Venezia Giulia pioneered modern techniques for white winemaking in Italy by quickly getting juice off the grape skins and taking extra measures to prevent oxidation. Through Italy these techniques came to be known as the "metodo friulano" or "Friuli method". Most Friuli wines are made in varietal form, with most appellations in the region requiring wines to be made with 100% of one grape, but distinguished blends are also made. The general philosophy of Friuli winemakers (especially in regards to their white wines) is to emphasise the grape's pure fruitiness and acidity without the masking effects of oak. To this extent, the Friulians more closely resemble the Alsatians and winemakers of the Loire Valley than their counterparts in Burgundy, Spain and other parts of Italy.
From the mid 1990s there has been a revival of amber wine production in the Friuli which involves leaving the white wine grapes in extended maceration with their grape skins. The resulting wines have a hint of color pigments that give them an orange hue.
Grapes and wines.
Over 30 different grapes varieties are grown in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia including international varieties such as Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot as well as local varieties like Refosco dal peduncolo rosso, Schioppettino, Friulano, Ribolla gialla and Verduzzo. Of the local varieties, Friulano is the most well known and important variety, producing crisp, floral wines that develop notes of nuts and fennel as it ages. The grape was widely known as "Tocai Friulano" but in 2006 the European Union banned names that have some similarity or association with the Hungarian wine Tokaji. Now Tocai Friulano is called "Friulano". The very acidic Ribolla gialla grape was primarily used as a blending component until winemakers started to apply the techniques used with Chardonnay (such as malolactic fermentation) to produce softer, more buttery wines that still retain the crisp, lemon edge of the grape. Wines made from Verduzzo have peach and nutty flavors in their youth but develop more honeyed flavors as the wine ages. The high acidity of the grape works well in sweet production and in regions like Ramandolo it is often dried to make a "passito" wine. The Picolit grape also does well in sweet wines where it can produce elegant, floral wines that have a dry finish. In contrast to the thin, sometimes bland Pinot grigio produced in other parts of the Tre-Venezie, well made examples of Friuli Pinot grigio are known for their fuller body and delicate peach, almond and green apple flavors. Sauvignon blancs are made in a style reminiscent of Sancerre with smoke, herbs and elements of honey and hazelnut. Some of the most expensive Friuli wines are made from the Picolit grape which is prone to grape diseases and mutations which cause the vine to lose its flowers and grape clusters. In most years, less than half of a vineyard Picolit crop will survive and be able to make wine. The light, honeyed dessert wine that it can produce is often in high demand because of restricted supply.
Along with the internationally styled Merlots, Friuli produces some distinctive red wines from the local grape varieties. Tazzelenghe (meaning "tonguecutter") produces a very tannic and fruity wine that mellows as it ages but maintains a good amount of its fruitiness. The Schioppettino (meaning "gunshot" and sometimes called "Ribolla nera") also produces very tannic wines with spice and pepper notes behind the ripe fruit flavors. The best known local red wine variety is the Refosco dal peduncolo rosso (different from regular Refosco) which produces a herbal full-bodied wine that ages well. Refosco is noted for its high acidity with blueberry and blackberry notes.
In 2008, DNA analysis showed that the Friuli table grape "Refosco di Guarnieri" was identical to the Venetian wine grape Trevisana nera.


Pilga Station

Pilga Station is a pastoral lease and sheep station located south west of Marble Bar and north of Newman in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.
The station occupies an area of and in 1946 has of fencing and the property is divided into 16 paddocks. The property also has 23 wells, is equipped with mills, a homestead and shearing shed. The Shaw River flows through a portion of Pilga.
In 1928 sheep from Pilga produced 134 bales of wool.
Shearers shore 15,400 sheep at Pilga in 1934 including 3,000 summer lambs producing 151 bales of wool, the clip was better than the previous record.
In 1954 he station owner, J. J. Doughty, took miners to the Wardens court to seek the forfeiture of 16 mining tenements for non-compliance of labour conditions and continual use of water rights at the Cooglegong tin-field situated on the property.