At 3:45 this morning the temperature in the coldest spot of the Orchard reached zero so Sam started up the frost-fighting pump.

Over the past twenty plus years I could always hear our pump running from my bedroom or the sunroom but now, since the Pine Planation in Ladysmith Road has been cut down, the sound of all the other pumps from the Roxburgh East area can be heard in unison so I can no longer distinguish our pump from the rest until I venture out the back of the Fruit Stall. 
This may sound a very minor thing but to an Orchardist the sound of the pump is a wonderful sound as protecting the crop is vital.

Many years ago Alex had returned home for a coffee break when out of the still of the night a horrendous mechanical scream came from the top of the Orchard. 
It was the sound of the driveshaft disintegrating. 
As Alex steadfastly refused to have a bike, trike or other mode of Orchard transport other than a tractor, he ran like he’d never run before to shut the tractor down.  
With no spare driveshaft I made a frantic ring to a friend who thankfully answered the phone even though it was 2am. 
He very kindly unattached a driveshaft from one of his tractors and drove very quickly to our place to attach said driveshaft.  
Our fruit was saved as we got the pump started up again within half an hour.
The window of opportunity in this type of disaster is very limited but we made it!!!  A very close call though.