Rain equals mental health for farmers!

Being a farmer can be trying, especially since our livelihood is so much at the whim of the weather.

This season started off beautifully with 30 millimetres of soaking rain over a few days. After such a long dry summer, it was a relief to see some green poking through the ground. It’s often been said that there is nothing like rain to replenish everyone’s health and humour. With the ‘right’ sort of rain the relief is palpable. The weight lifted from the farmers shoulders is instant, and the worry lines seem to clear from their faces as soon as they check the rain gauge.

For some reason it’s stopped raining here. The winds blowing straight from the north are very ‘droughty’ and the chill factor, well – it’s rather bloody cold!

Although the crops are up, the wind is giving them a beating and the nil-till method of seeding that we used has been negated by the wind filling up the deep furrows that we could have used to harvest the water.

Since 2008, east of Esperance has had its trials and tribulations regarding the weather. Where once we were known for being so wet that you couldn’t or wouldn’t dare to crop, it’s not that way today.

For the sake of farmer’s health, stock feed, crops and basically everything, we need a good drenching. Now.