Sadly on the 19th November 2017 saw the passing of a great man, husband, father, grandfather & great grandfather – Mervyn Maxwell Smith (Max) – aged 92 years.
Max was born on the 13th July 1925 and grew up on the neighbouring family farm. Farming alongside his brothers they purchased this farm “Mount Dick” in 1964, which we are lucky enough to call home today.
It was at this time Max diversified into producing quality chaff and hay for the equine industry. His association with race horse trainers led him to become involved in the Northam Race Club of which he was a committee person, life member and patron. A special Northam Race meeting was in 2016 when Max Almighty, a horse we race named after Max, won the Northam Traders Sprint.
Max had a passion for the farm and was a great, mentor workmate and friend. Upon moving into Northam, he would drive out to the farm most days, to lend a hand, say hello and see what was going on.
We ironically finished our harvest the day he died. Up until then, we would regularly take i-pad footage of our mowing and baling, in for him to watch. Max took great delight in seeing what paddocks we were working in and our progress, and was a great boost to his spirits in his final days.
He was constantly amazed by the changes/innovations in farming machinery and techniques. For a man that started farming by horse & cart to GPS controlled tractors, Max certainly saw many, many farming advances in his lifetime.
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