Were theres mud theres money

[Choice2U]

Agree with Cotton/Wade. Which fruit is better, an apple or orange? I grew up in W Central SK and had crop insurance (drought) 5 out of 8 years in the 80's. Now I live where many are at 50% done (me at 70% because I am smaller). Extremes are NO DAMN GOOD...either too dry or too wet.

[ado089]

They way we farm now I better for moisture management period. I rented some land this year that was 1/2-1/2 maybe 1/3-2/3 summerfallow since it was broke 90 years ago. First of all there is now organic matter left in it and secondly the rain does not soak in at all, I probably have 20 bags of canola washed out into the low spots. With that said I've been very fortunate this year in being able to get all the crop in with only some crusting problems(again due to s.f.) but the trouble with a wet year is that it has to stay wet ALL year because as metioned above you lose your best producing acres. That makes for alot of extra work, fuel, damage and a harvest from hell. Imagine last year with bottomless moisture. I'd rather flirt with drought than deal with mud.

[checking]

Bucket.

It sounds like you could use a plow for your low spots!

A bucket of water - a bucket of dust, your choice! Choice is good, today, isn't it?

Do you think they had alternatives in the horse era? That has got to be a new theory if they left because of their farming practices.

I rather suspect they were doing the best they could with what they had, and for many it wasn't enough without rain.

[malleefarmer]

ok point taken, guess i was looking from australian perspective sorry guys didnt mean to upset anyone unduely as im sure your all stressed.

[malleefarmer]

can anyone email some pics blacketp@bigpond.com

[fjlip]

If the binder cut the crop, needed to be long enough to tie, therefore little stubble left. Bundles hauled away therefore no organic matter left. But the plough or oneway a big no-no. A zero till horse drawn drill, maybe, but no glyphosate! But new land perhaps no weeds?
Now which eastern European descendant of yours brought that bag of seed over with just a couple wild oats, oh they won't matter, we will pull those by hand...forever amen.

[grrrr]

In a drought at least you still have your infrastructure left. If it is too wet, the roads are a mess and costly to fix.

[malleefarmer]

thanks for the photos i humbly apaologize i couldnt comprehend the devastation until i saw the pics.

its something we never ever have to face here

[Hopperbin]

Mallee I am also 45. I was working on a farm in NSW when I turned 21. Had one hell of good party in the local Goolgowi pub. Brought a few new Shelas to the party and a few locals ended up passed out in the corners with smiles on their faces.

[Hopperbin]

As I recall when I was there the summerfallow wheat went 40 bushel an acre barely pretty good, most land was 2nd 3rd 4th and 5th cropped only got maybe 10 bushel to the acre. To you guys rain makes grain. It is that way here most of the time also just this year is out of the ordinary. We are now over 11 inches since snow melt, our planting window is short as fall cool temperatures and shorter days will come, after sept 15 the crops do not ripen anymore. Had a friend from Australia visit me once, he knew my town name so he just shows up at the local pub here and asks where I live. I got a kick out of that one also.