Bailing Hay

A number of crops around the district and through out Victoria haven't had a great time due either to lack of rain, rain at an inappropriate time or frosts. Although we were lucky on most fronts we had a couple of paddocks that didn't have a great time due to weeds. The estimated yield of the crop on those paddocks meant that if cut at the right time it would be financially more beneficial to cut the crop for hay. And so we made hay......

Checking the crops at Jaskum Park

This afternoon we took a quick trip to check out the progress of the crops at our property next to the Grampians at Mafeking. Although a lighter soil this area seems to have, because of the mountains a higher rainfall than the surrounding districts so generally the crops, at this point, are looking pretty good.

At this point in time the whole district is desperately in need of some finishing rain for whats left of the cereal crops.

Ben loved the height of the crops and thought it was good for a game of hide and seek.

At one point, concerned for the health of some of the crop he took measures into his own hands and administered some natural fertilizer.

On the way out we spotted half a dozen emus racing around the crops, well we didnt see the whole emus just the necks and head as they ran through the crops.

Welcome Rain

We had some good rain at Greenvale last night with the rain gauge reading 21.5 mm. Bring on the crops!!!!

Preparing for cropping

With the fire restrictions over farmers all around the district are preparing fields ready to sow crops for the coming season. One of the methods used to clear last years stubble and increase yield and help combat weeds is burning. Plumes of smoke have been seen all around the district as farmers burn off the last years excess matter.

A neighbours property filled the sky with smoke to the extent that the smoke became a cloud feeder. A phenonema that I saw once before flying over California where the pilot pointed out a forest fires smoke that was turning into a rain cloud. Our burning in comparison struggled to put a puff into the air.