DANE Allison has been a jack of all trades.
Now, he is a master at farming.
Born in New Zealand, Dane migrated to Australia with his parents when he was 11 years old.
He spent most of the next 14 years living in Melbourne, attending school before leaving at 16 to join the workforce.
He worked for a powder coating company, an airconditioning duct manufacturer, as a builder's labourer and held other factory jobs.
After his parents separated, his mother decided to move to Lal Lal, southeast of Ballarat in Victoria.
When she broke her leg, Dane moved to Lal Lal to help her.
For Dane, it was probably a lucky break.
They soon moved to Lexton, and a few months later, he was offered a couple of weeks work on the Ballyrogan property of farmers Rod and Vicki Alexander.
"It was supposed to be a two-week job working to repair fences and plant trees," Dane said.
"But Rod offered me a full-time job and a one-year apprenticeship.
"I took it up and have been here ever since."
That was 14 years ago.
It's the longest he has ever spent working at any job.
For someone who had never worked on a farm, Dane loves the work.
Driving harvesters, operating spray equipment and tractors, attending to vehicle maintenance and fencing, and working as a rouseabout at shearing time, he has found his niche in life.
Rod said Dane's biggest attributes were his dedication and willingness to learn.
"When he came here, he knew nothing about farming," he said.
"He had never been on a tractor.
"But he wanted to learn and that's why he's still here.
"He's part of the furniture now."
The Alexanders have a 2800ha property at Ballyrogan, growing about 2000ha of crop and running up to 14,000 Merino and crossbred sheep for the meat trade.
This season, they planted 730ha of wheat, 490ha of barley, 360ha of canola and 440ha of milling oats.
With a farm that size, there is plenty of work.
So much so, that Rod is considering taking on another employee full-time.
