Sim day

The first half of the day was spent out on the mid Canterbury plain visiting the Sim family farm, meeting Matthew and Nicola and finding out about the various crops they grow, mainly for seed. We drove out as far as Alford Hill and it was clear what effect irrigation has had on the area supporting the growth of the dairy industry. The was more money in milk than sheep. However now land prices are falling and no-one knows what the long term effect of the Chinese shut down will have.

Later we went over A's Sim family history info and even later to the cemetery to visit various graves including Catherine Sim the widow who came here from Longside in the 1880's. Her son, Robert, came earlier and wrote a diary of his time on the journey to a new life: Longside, Aberdeen, London, Capetown, Hobart, Auckland, Ashburton.

Then we sat outside, drank wine, ate crisps and chatted before a roast lamb dinner. Who would have thought that a speculative letter 14 years ago trying to solve a genealogical puzzle would have led to this. And we did confirm that the Robert Sim who stayed in Scotland but left Buchan for Cluny was the brother of the John Sim who died before he could leave Buchan and join his older 2 sons in NZ

And, yes, I did get it in the combine cab, stationery in the barn.