The Farmers Club Newsletter

The “Club Notes” for Friday, the 5th of January 2024.

By Dwain Duxson

If you can, please get your family, friends and colleagues to sign up. See the website link here.

Been there before

Many of the problems we face in Ag, we have faced before. So what I am trying to say is there are not many new problems in Ag. They have been temporarily fixed, but we have to keep solving them over and over again and find different ways to do so. Sometimes to go forward, we have to go back to an old technique. Take Burning and Cultivation, for example. It was written into the rigid no-till rulebook that this had to cease. But Farmers had weed Seed and disease problems, so they bought back burning. After last year's wet Harvest, people decided to disc and cultivate Country to level it out. Or instead of a Summer spray, some have decided to Cultivate. We have to keep finding new and better drenches because Sheep and Cattle still get worms. We now have to find a way to speed up turnaround problems at the Silo because the Headers are getting bigger. The list is endless. Can you think of any new Ag problems we are trying to solve? Reply to [email protected]

Where to leave your hard earn’t

I had an interesting reply a couple of days ago from a husband and wife Farmer team who are going to leave the Farm for the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne. I thought, wow, what an amazing gesture. Circumstances have it that they are able to do that when they pass. So, it got me thinking about Wills and where the wealth is going to be distributed upon passing. Wills are a little bit like succession. We have that yer-I'll-get-around-to-it-one-day type attitude. So, getting one done is only the starting point; constantly updating when circumstances change is another challenge. So, have you done a Will? And if so, where/who do you intend to leave your wealth to? And have you thought of leaving some to an organisation your support? Reply to [email protected]

A fast Harvest Club

We wrote a while ago about how an investment in good Gear for a fast Harvest can be expensive. If we have one or a handful of Headers, we know that you are going to have to invest in some decent Gear to keep it away and then store it. Some have decided not to invest so much and just take a little more time to do the Harvest program. Those who decided on the fast Harvest option this year have been rewarded, although there are some fast Harvesters still at it. Our Harvest these days resembles that of a European or US Harvest, where they are under pressure to get it all done within a very small weather window. We don't have that sort of pressure, but Summer rainfall events often occur, and usually, those that can get the Harvest done with minimal disruption are, more often than not, are the winners. How hard did you push to get Harvest done this year? Reply to [email protected]

Your replies

Below is where we take some of the most relevant comments from your replies. All quotes will remain nameless. See a few current ones below:

• “No, it's a business but so enjoyable and satisfying”. - In reply to our note about is Farming still a lifestyle.

• “I am installing more solar panels and batteries, not necessarily to save money, but more importantly, to be independent of the idiocy”. - A Farmer who wants to be self-sufficient with his Farm electricity.

• “I'd have to say Tassie gets a well-deserved rap for being 10 years behind the Mainland, but this scheme puts us 20 years in front”. - In reply to Tassies booming Irrigation industry.

• “When I was young, I had an old fella tell me that if I wanted to enjoy life, I needed to think about what I would do as a hobby if I won the lotto, then that’s what I needed to do as a “job” so to speak. I chose Farming”. - Someone who chose Farming and still loves Farming.

• “We find comfort and security in doing things the old way in regard to cheques”. - Someone who still likes using cheques.

  Reply to [email protected]

End of message.

Dwain Duxson
0427 011 900

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