MORE than 180 registered bidders have helped Glen Ray prepare for retirement.
The Calivil district farmer and truck driver known as Stinger is making the move into Bendigo with wife Sue.
Their Tandarra property has been sold and last Friday bidders came from across the region as tractors, trucks, equipment and other farm material went under the hammer.
Glen and Sue had been at Tandarra for the last 11 years and before that he had been share farming at Mitiamo and grew up on late father John’s dairy farm at Calivil.
“I hated dairy farming but always loved cropping ... and guess I cut my farming teeth at Calivil,” Glen said. “And when we were up at Mitiamo, that’s when interest rates were hitting 22 per cent.
“So I went truck driving carting grain, hay and sheep. Why be working the farm and giving everything to the bank ... that was hurting.”
Clearing sale agents Luke and James Nevins, of FP Nevins and Co, Inglewood, said there had been good bidding at the clearing sale.
A Case 240 tractor sold for $60,5000 while 1940s Chevrolet  Lend Lease truck fetched $6900.
While Glen and Sue will make their home in Bendigo and plan to travel, connection with the Calivil district will continue.
“I’m president of the bowls club and we still want to win a premiership,” he said.