We’re back!

We’re back! Although it was slower at first, we are now in full swing and I’m ever so slowly getting the body clock back in to the early starts.

We had a great break as I’m sure you all did too, great times with loved ones…until they overstay their welcome, hello to our family in Toukley and NZ!…. Ahh just jokes, I love my Sis, and the Mother-in-law goes all right too!

The heat has really started to take its toll on the farm now. There was some good rain before Christmas in isolated areas around Barraba, but alas we were not under the clouds! So from being in reasonable shape a month ago, the season has not broken and the continued hot windy weather is now reflecting on the grasses, and the condition of the stock. Each week that it doesn’t rain now is a week lost in condition.

Animals don’t mind the dry weather to a point, sheep seem to do better in it than the cows, but once the feed gets too dry and the standing feed that is left, starts to blow away with the heat and wind, the nutritional value is lost and the rest falls to the ground to start the process of decay. Then you start to run out of grass. This is where we are now.

For months now its been near impossible to ‘finish’ stock on the feed on the ground, limited rain grows limited grass. So only the mud covered pigs have been getting a free ride to town. If this weather pattern continues without rain we will be auxiliary feeding stock this winter, not to fatten them, but to keep them alive. But, it could rain tomorrow and the farmers will thank their lucky stars again!