No 437 - Saturday's Club Notes

Dwain Duxson
February 15, 2025

The “Club Notes” for Saturday, the 15th of February, 2025.

By Dwain Duxson - An Ag Enthusiast

The Harry Bourchier Files parts 1, 2 & 3

Today's newsletter is a little bit different. It's a once-off. I just want to dedicate this newsletter to The Harry Bourchier Files podcast series we have just completed. You can listen to the latest version (Part 3) on Apple Podcasts here or on Spotify here. For parts 1 and 2, go to the bottom of the page, and I recommend you listen to them in order. For those that don't know, Harry and his wife Gwen were legendary Farmers back last century who recorded their story in a book that was released in 2007. However, they didn't do a big print run, and the book is hard to find. Luckily, our family had one, and because not many have had access to the book, it was decided we do a podcast series. The podcast series is only a condensed version of a big story, but it gives you a general idea of how the Bourchiers went about their Farming business and the dynasty they carved out. Harry and Gwen had 9 children, and nearly all of the 9, with the help of their parents, have sizable Farms in their own right today, estimated to be collectively over 200,000 acres of inside country. For this newsletter, we have screenshot 57 photos from the book and displayed them below. The pictures can be added to the words from the podcast and will give you a better idea of how they went about it. We have opened this newsletter up to our free subscribers as we feel this is a great Agricultural story that needs to be told. Enjoy Reply to [email protected] or 0427 011 900

Next members draw

We are giving away a $2500 Luxury Escape voucher plus $2500 in spending money to use how you like.
To be drawn on the Friday the 28th of February at 3 pm EDST.
Here’s the deal. Sign up before the 21st of Feb at 3 pm, and you will get 2 tickets in the draw. From then on until draw time, it will be 1 ticket.
Note: All existing subscribers get 2 tickets in the draw.
Remember: It’s 30 days free, so you can be in and out and still be in the draw

The succession of all successions

The thing we talked about briefly in the podcast but never expanded on, was the subject was succession. Harry and Gwen, when they first started having children, must have started to think about how the family would get involved in the business. I reckon it might have motivated Harry to build the empire he did, hoping and then eventually knowing that his kids wanted to carve out their own Farming legacy. They were awarded opportunities that many didn't have, and what I mean by that is they had supportive parents who wanted to see them succeed in this great industry. It was unique how Harry and Gwen went about their business. I am sure the succession process wasn't always plain sailing, and it would be natural for some siblings to say they got the raw end of the stick compared to others. But it looks like the family as a unit managed to put all that tit-for-tat stuff to one side to focus on the biggest of pictures. And the enormity of helping nine children all at once is a monumental effort when you see what happens with succession in this day and age. Reply to [email protected] or 0427 011 900

My rundown on Harry…..

Here is my rundown on Harry after reading the book and re-reading important parts. Without question, he was a visionary. He could see things on a large scale, things others could not have imagined. He had a mathematical mind, which enabled him to map out financial situations which then gave him the confidence to proceed. It also enabled him to use debt to fund things, and while many struggled with debt, Harry thrived because he knew the numbers and knew where other people's money (OPM) could take him. I think that only the very best Farmers have a mathematical mind. He was well-read; all smart business people are well-read; they sift through information, taking away snippets to help them advance what they do and get ahead of the pack. There is a great photo below (maybe in front of the TV) of Harry in the chair on the phone with the newspaper in his lap, with Gwen beside him knitting. Harry was always positive; I'm sure the word "can't" was never used. He backed himself and believed he could make good of things he set his mind to. He was a networker; he surrounded himself with people and worked the phones at night to find things out and get people to help him. He was constantly on the lookout for people who could help him get to where he wanted to go. He would also give people opportunities to go where they never thought they could. That's a unique trait. He bought properties all over the place, so he was great at observing the landscape. It seems he never really felt or acted like he was rich. He came from humble beginnings like most back then and never really flaunted his wealth to others. Sure, with his vast holdings, people would have associated him with being wealthy, but it seems like he never saw that or didn't really get involved in the trappings of wealth. He was super loyal to his family; it was like this unbreakable unit he established and nurtured until he passed. And it looked like he and Gwen had a wonderful relationship, and they were a team that had a common goal. What a wonderful and interesting life he lived. Reply to [email protected] or 0427 011 900

End of message.

Dwain Duxson
0427 011 900