R_O_M
Guest
Hi Tom, ROM here [ Rolf's Old Man ] Yes we are still very dry around our area in western Victoria in the SE of Oz. It's the same across a good proportion of our eastern grain belt. Some areas like central South Australia [state ] have had very good rains so far this year 2007 but we are still in drought here. The country looks like a desert when you fly over it but then to a lot of Americans it would probably look like a desert in any case regardless of the season! We have now had over 10 years of very dry and drought and included in those years is a total wipe out from drought in 2002 and 2006. Frost very nearly wiped us out in 1998 as well as well as another localised drought around us in 1994. I think we scored about 9 inches of rain last year with a good part of that falling in April May when we sow but from then on it was bad, particularly towards the critical September October period when our crops are flowering and setting seed. We finished up like nearly everybody around us and across most of the grain belt, only bothering to put the combine into only a few of our paddocks and that was mostly to get seed back. Our minds boggle when we read that you guys can get frost insurance for frost damage and all sorts of other and etc's. Our fed government is kicking in drought relief but it is only on interest rate subsidies and some part local government taxes relief. Some farm family payments equivalent to the dole are also available IF you can jump high enough through the few dozen hoops. At least the present sea surface temperatures and situation in both the eastern Pacific in the El nino and la nina areas as well as in the Indian Ocean from where we get most of our weather here in the south east is looking fairly good for some very decent rains starting in another couple of weeks. The long range climate forecasts are generally indicating that we could finally be about to break this horrible 10 year long drought and dry with some good rains right through the year for us. You have to be a mug to be a farmer. Definition of child cruelty; leave your farm to your kids! Ask Rolf!
And they claim that there will be 9 billion people in the world by 2050! Ours and the next generation of farmers will be needed to feed some of those people! We've had 83 mm so far since the start of the Year. Instant farm, just add water! Ive been a bit quite on here due to the fact Iv got into Radio control Helicopters! and they have been keeping me sane for the last 6 months, and they are as complicated and sophisticated as a combine. Thank goodness Combine don't fly!!! Rolf