Nfld. broadcaster leaves radio for farm life

Oct 12, 2018

Bill Gregory spent 25 years on Newfoundland airwaves

By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com

A once-familiar voice on Newfoundland radio airwaves has left the booth to return to the family farm.

Bill Gregory spent about 25 years at VOCM, Hits FM and K-Rock. He spent another three years working in communications with the provincial government.

Last year, he retired from radio to help take over Haricot Farms, the family’s sheep and beef operation in Haricot, Nfld., which doubled as Gregory’s childhood home.

The family raises, processes and packs all its meat on site and sells it at local markets. Gregory’s responsibilities include helping with processing.

Part of his decision to return to the farm came from retirements in the family. His brother Paul, his mother and his father Bill, decided it was time to do other things.

They welcomed their family member back with open arms.

“We’re glad he’s back and it’s nice to have him around,” the senior Bill Gregory told Farms.com today. “But it was all his decision, we didn’t pressure him to come back to the farm.”

With a view of St. Mary’s Bay as his backdrop, the new farmer’s only regret is that he didn’t make the move back to rural Newfoundland sooner.

“You get lost in it, really,” he told CBC yesterday. “I get to live it, every day.”

Farms.com has reached out to Gregory for comment on his adjustment to life as a full-time farmer.

Bill Gregory/Fred Hutton CBC photo

Video: A Farm Song (Busy) | Parody of A Bar Song (Tipsy) by Shaboozey

Lyrics:

My days begin with workin’, Alarm’s at 5 o’clock,
I Fill 5 gallon buckets, The feeders and the troughs,
This five to nine ain’t workin’, why the heck do I work so hard?,
I can’t worry ‘bout health problems, I can sleep in when I’m gone,

One, here comes the two to the three to the four,
Tell em’ ‘buy another cow, we need plenty more’,
Blue jeans are gettin’ dirty, what else could I ask for,
Oh my, more chores

Someone pour me up another shot of sweet tea,
They know me and working hard’s got a history,
There’s another flock of sheep that still needs feed,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,

Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,

I’ve been working pretty stressed but,
I ain’t changing for some cash,
Lord knows that I’m very blessed (More chores),
But I gotta say it’s hard,
Workin’ outside gettin’ charred,
Living out here on the farm, (more chores)

One, here comes the two to the three to the four,
Tell em’ ‘buy another cow, we need plenty more’,
Blue jeans are gettin’ dirty, what else could I ask for,
Oh my, more chores

Someone pour me up another shot of sweet tea,
They know me and working hard’s got a history
There’s another 20 chickens that still need feed,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,

Everybody on the farm getting’ busy,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,

Fun, here on ranch that’s what you can’t ignore,
Might be pretty hard but I love it to its core,
Flannel’s gettin’ dirty, what else could I ask for,
Oh my, more chores (Tell ‘em sing with me)

Someone pour me up another shot of sweet tea,
They know me and working hard’s got a history,
There’s another flock of sheep that still needs feed,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,
Someone pour me up another shot of sweet tea,
They know me and working hard’s got a history,
Watching cattle in the dark, don’t miss me,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,
(Yeeeeeehaw)
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,
It’s the best bro, go get yourself a farm