Prawn Harvesting 02

Draining the Pond ...

This is the second method that the Farm uses to harvest their Prawns.

Previously this Pond had also a few Fish in it (you'll see them flapping around later).

The first thing the Farm does is to try and catch as many prawns as possible using the method in Prawn Harvesting 01.

Having drained about 1/2 the pond the previous day, they then finish draining the pond from first light (well before sun-up).

With a big machine like this, it doesn't take long to drain a small pond.

View from the other end of the pond.

It's designed to have a subtle slope towards one corner.

The other in this series are ...

Prawn Harvesting 01

Wholesale Prawn Market

The Prawn Interviews

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Preparing for the final catch ...

So the end game is to get a small pool of water which the remaining Prawns are drawn to which makes

the final harvest and easy one.

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The net which separates the ....... Farm worker looks on awaiting her time to assist

remaining prawns from the

machine

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Speaking of assisting. This is the Farm Fathers pond (they separate their business interests),

so the available family members await their turn to assist. The dogs are always there to assist also.

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Draining the dregs of the Pond ...

Almost drained

The water's almost gone and the Prawns are dancing

That lone fish makes his last dance also

The videos do a better job then me to describe the Prawn Harvest Technique

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From Pond to Truck ...

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Catching the Prawns and the chain handling up to the Farm Father who places them in the ice barrel

and then off to the Market for sale.

Above and below in Video...

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Draining the Dregs ...

Pond in profile. Gentle slope, so that pond had been recently resurfaced

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Looking for the Last of the Prawns

Creating a simple spoon drain 1 of 2

Creating a simple spoon drain 2 of 2 ... drain photos below ... sort of have an artistic element to them.

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Last of the Prawns ...

Ponds almost drained and netting the last of the Harvest

Above and below ...

Mud, glorious mud ... to be 4 years old again!

So ... did I finally get 'dirty'?

Much to the delight of the Farm Father ... YES.

I formed part of that chain which moved the Prawns up from the Ponds bottom up to the Truck.

That's fairly much the last of the media for this thread.

I have started the next one which I reckon might be the star of the series as I got to visit a Prawn Hatchery and got to observe the inner workings.

Oh ... if you liked MissFarmGirl in The Prawn Interviews ... she'll be in some of the later posts with some more candid interviews discussing the Prawn Hatchery and the transport issues.

Next Topic ... Prawn hatchery - buying the baby prawns

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