The Farmers Club

The “Club Notes” for Saturday, the 18th of May, 2024.

By Dwain Duxson

I am part of the problem here

This week, I put the "Farmers - No Food and Fibre Week" idea out there, and many thought it was a solid idea. Some thought it was the wrong way to go, and I get their points of view, too. I sat in my thinking chair on Friday afternoon to give this campaign some thought. I love my thinking time, even if it's only for a minute or two. This one chewed up 5 minutes, and I came to the conclusion that I was not the person to lead this campaign for the simple reason that I didn't want to spread myself too thin and take on a third role. I am happy to support a campaign, and if somebody or some organisation wants to take the lead and run with it, then I will fully support it through our networks. Whilst I was sitting in the chair, I also thought to myself that I was part of the problem here. By not putting my hand up to commit to a common cause, I am letting the industry down. We do like to have out 20 cents worth when it comes to the people that represent us, and it's one of the reasons why we can't get the best Farming people into the representative positions. We wear them down. The other reason is that they are too busy running their own businesses to commit to anything else. This is my scenario. I have worked out that I should stick exactly to what I am doing and not do anything else. I am still going to throw some ideas out there, but as for committing to something else, I know that can't happen. Do you feel the same about committing to things outside what you do on a daily basis? Reply to [email protected]

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Decisions Decisions

Many of you out there are experiencing a dryer-than-normal Autumn. This has probably changed your original Farm plan, and you have probably been doing alot of replaning and listening to your gut about how you think it might play out. It’s not easy when you don’t know where one of the uncontrollables (the weather) might Land. All those well-made plans earlier in the year are now only parts of the equation. But this is Farming, and this is where you learn a lot about yourself. You have to make decisions on the fly, and some of them are on gut feel with a bit of scenario playing, dreaming up the outcome. It can also be pretty rewarding and exciting if you manage to pull a few things off. Our new Farm Tender guy, Phil, told me yesterday that one of his friends has ditched all his original plans, and now everything he sows is going to be for a Hay Crop. It’s a pretty smart move because there will be a shortage of Hay around, we think. But he still has to get the Crops up and about. The Livestock guys in the South and the West have the daily double of uncontrollables, the weather and the markets. Stay positive out there. Have all your plans gone out the window this year?  Reply to [email protected]

The thinking book

I spent a couple of hours with Kate Burke on Thursday. Kate is the author of “Crops people money & you”; you can check out the book here at her Think Agri website. Well worth a read. But what I am excited about is her new book; it’s going to be about the thinking side of running a business and making decisions. Also about dealing with scenarios and making sure your processes around your thinking are in place. I’m not sure how Kate will frame it, and my thinking is it would be a pretty hard subject to write alot of words about. Thinking, to me, is a process that needs to be pretty simple. Kate gets Farmers and Farming and has that uncanny knack to ask the right questions that allow us to make decisions ourselves. That is a unique ability. Anyway, I am looking forward to the book. Do you think things out or do you wish you had a better process around it? Reply to [email protected]

End of message.

Dwain Duxson
0427 011 900

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Good Ag Podcasts:

I love the “Founders” podcast. The reason is that the host, David Senra, reads a book and then does a podcast about the book. I love reading, but I don’t read many books because they take up too much time. I much prefer short-form reading. My favourite “Founders” podcast is his latest one about James Dyson, the vacuum guy (he has done a few about him). What a story about persistence. Rating 9.5/10. 1 hr 21 min. Listen here.

Your replies:

Below are snippets from some of the replies you sent in. All quotes will remain nameless. See a few current ones below:

• In reply to our Farm Tender Daily story on how some people won't get their two wheels off the single lane bitumen road. Read the story here - "Hi Dwain, Here's a good common sense version of road rules for people travelling single-lane bitumen with gravel sides". See the link here.

  In reply to the same story in the link above about being a waver when you pass someone on the road - "I've always been a WAVER. There are a variety of waves....cheers, g'day, good one, etc. Like you, my road is narrow, and one has to get over with 2 wheels in the dirt to pass and pull right off if someone is coming. You can pick the city drivers coming toward you like bats out of hell....but they have to get over if you make them! They mostly don't wave. Waves are important and can make the day of a lonely person. I like waving at the road workers when they give you the signal to 'go'. You can pick the city ones cos they mostly scowl back; they don't understand. Waving is good, can be a lot of fun and is very important to our well-being".

  In reply to our note on some of the big decisions that have affected Ag. The Cattle Live export ban was one of those - "Morning Dwain, The live export ban up here was one of these moments. Tracy Hayes's speech at Beef Week was outstanding. She should be proud of her efforts, which are still ongoing, unfortunately. Politicians need to consider their actions much more".

  In reply to our waving story. There is always one that won't - "I've always given a 2 finger wave. 99% wave, but there is one old grumpy bugger who has a beard like Santa and lives way up our road who never does".

  I love my podcast and get so much fodder for this newsletter from them. The Jill Rigney one was great - "Hi Dwain. I am enjoying your podcast reviews. The one today with Jill Rigney was a great one. Communication is an important part of running a good business".

  Haha, It's like when you open the door for someone and they don't say thanks. I say to them thanks for that, and scowl off, looking very guilty - "Gday Dwain. Have a mate who's neighbour never waves, so when my mate passes him, he waves like hell at him in the hope it makes his neighbour feel like shit 😂".

  One Farmer explaining the development of Farming in the Northern Territory. They are getting there but need to be left alone to get it happening faster - "We are still a work in progress, I can assure you. It has been a drawn-out process mainly because of political and bureaucratic interference. Those who don't know or understand should leave us alone".

  One Farmer having their say on the single lane road scenario - "Yeah Dwain, basically good manners to share the road when passing except with Trucks, get right off and leave them to sit on the black stuff. Anybody that doesn't share with me knows all about it as I sit in the middle and give them a chat about manners and I don't give a stuff who they are. Have a good weekend mate".

  One Farmer who is not a fan of Clarkson - "I think we should be dropping the whole idolisation of Clarkson".

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