SEPTEMBER 2018 | Sharon Webb

WHEN A teenager needs help and his parents aren’t available there is one person he can turn to: his grandmother.

Deloraine High student Jayden did exactly that after inventing a way of making kilometres of fencing an easier task.

His Mum and Dad had moved to a Sheffield beef farm twice the size of their Mole Creek property in Den Rd, were building a new house and battling to get the new property working. They simply had no time to help Jayden.

Up stepped grandmother Carol Woodberry.

“She had some idea about patents; her father was a successful businessman,” Jayden said.

“We applied ourselves to the patents website to find a Tasmanian patent lawyer and failed spectacularly because no-one here seems to do that any more.

“Someone put us onto a guy in Melbourne and Nan funded me the $6,000 cost of patenting my invention and came with me a few trips to Melbourne.” The invention came about when Jayden and his brother Kaleb ended up with cut hands after tying off wires around strainer posts on kilometers of new fencing on the Sheffield property.

“Dad said to me ‘ I wish there was a faster way to do this’,”he said.

“I went out to the shed and spent the next few days playing around with wire and knots and finally got it down pat. I made 160 tie-offs, halving the time needed to do the job and without scratched hands and bruised fingers.”

Time for Nan to help out.

“We have an agreement,” Carol Woodberry said. “I’ll fund his out-of-pocket expenses until he gets on his feet.”

I went out to the shed and spent the next few days playing around with wire and knots and finally got it down pat.

It’s fair to say that aside from the actual invention process, lots of people are helping Jayden.

His girlfriend Aimee Viney, also a student at Deloraine High, has taken over his social media, his website, Instagram, Twitter, because as Jayden confessed, he’s “not too bright on spelling”.

Through school he’s had guidance and help on contacts, and Nan’s still helping out with paperwork.

“We’ve always been close, Jayden and I,” said Mrs Woodberry, who owns a dairy farm with her husband.

“Aged six he was always trying to help by putting the cups on the cows. He’s a good boy all round, but I’m his grandmother so I would say that!”

Now the new Sheffield property is established after a hard 12 months, Jayden’s mum, who works as a guide at the Mole Creek caves has time to contemplate her son’s success.

“We’re  extremely proud of the maturity he’s shown and excited,” Kristie Lee said.

“A lot of 16 year-olds are out sampling drugs and alcohol but Jayden has a real passion for farming: at six months old he was out in the tractor, watching what was happening then going off to sleep.”

Now Jayden’s found a Queensland company to manufacture his invention and Deloraine Signs have created his logo and stickers, he’s focusing on becoming a businessman.

“Dad made it halfway through grade 10 but I’ll go to college and also learn as much as I can from my family. Then I’ll decide about further education,” said Jayden, who’s used to visits from agronomists and farming experts.

“I see my future as a farmer but also a businessman. My whole family is business-oriented and they’re all really good at it.”

You can see details of Jayden’s invention on his Facebook page, Fastway Fencing Tie-Offs.

Photo | Mike Moores