This Weather! - SO miserable, we want to make hay!!!!

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Broomcroft
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Post by Broomcroft »

We've done loads of big bale haylage and also managed to get 40 big bales of hay (for the horses mainly), so we're now fixed up for the winter just about.



Edited By Broomcroft on 1216991913
Clive
Saffy
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Post by Saffy »

I forgot to say.

We were really pleased with the young contractor, who came so promptly to bale our little bit of hay and I only wish I had taken a few photographs but I was too busy rowing up etc. As he did the job with a 1970s tractor and a 1958 Bamford baler!!!

He says the baler cost him £100 complete with a free sledge.

Stephanie
Stephanie Powell
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Inger
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Post by Inger »

Another wet Summer in the UK eh. I don't like that sound of that. A lot of NZ had a drought after your last wet Summer and many farmers couldn't handle another year of drought here.

We've just had a gale force 2, Tropical storm go through the North Island of NZ and it looks like its heading for the top of the South Island as well. Thankfully it moved over very quickly, but the winds have done some damage. Now the helpful weather forcasters are telling us another storm is due to arrive in the middle of next week. ??? Many of us are really looking forward to Summer, so I do hope the rain isn't all being used up before the Summer starts. Our farm had an excellant Summer last year with rain every fortnight - 3 weeks, but our area was lucky. One of the best dairy areas in NZ was turned into a dust bowl. Feed has become very expensive. In some areas, the small rectangle hay bales have been selling for $12 a bale. In previous years we've paid $6 per bale.

So I do hope that you start getting some weeks of drying sunshine, to get your Winter feed in. Due to the drought in NZ, there isn't going to be as much NZ lamb and beef available for export over the next couple of years. Some farmers even had to sell off or send to the works, a lot of their future breeding stock. Its going to take some years to get over the repercussions of the drought.

The situation has been made worse by a lot of land being converted to dairying in the South Island, which has traditionally been sheep and beef fattening land. I don't feel its sustainable, as water is not in endless supply, but there we are. There's a lot of money in milk at the moment, so that's what people want to produce. This will add to the shortage of beef and lamb next season. We're already seeing a rise in meat prices at the supermarkets. I'm so pleased that we can grow our own meat and not have to rely on supermarket meat. :)

How are the rising fuel prices affecting your farming practices over there? Has it increased the cost of feed supplements for your animals as well?
Inger
NZ
PeterO
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Post by PeterO »

Just to add to Inger's comment - I live inthe Nelson Bays (top of the SI) and we are meant to have the best weather in NZ :)

It is near monsoonal - over 100mm rain in one day last week, 60mm so far today with worse to come (forecasting up to 200mm) so flooding is here - luckily it drains quickly too. At least in our case it is Winter.

Can short legged Dexters swim well :)
PeterO
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Post by PeterO »

Just to cheer you up - first one this season

Image
Inger
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Post by Inger »

Lovely. :D Now do watch out for the snow this weekend. Its going to get cold. :(
Inger
NZ
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