The Farmers Club Newsletter

The “Club Notes” for Monday the 5th of February 2024.

By Dwain Duxson

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

Learnt traits

We have spoken about how Crop Farmers have learnt to manage moisture and it's probably the most important management thing they do now. Something similar has happened with Sheep and Cattle Farmers in that they have learnt how to feed or finish Animals. Some breed them, others buy them in, and some finish them on grass, and others prepare them in containment. Whatever the case, most of the value or the margin is in a finished item compared to an unfinished one. This is how we increase our productivity incrementally. We just get a little bit better at what we do each time. Sure, things can take a step backwards from time to time, but as long as things are going forward more often then you are making progress. Has finishing Livestock been a learnt trait for you? Reply to [email protected]

Lake Holiday

Lakes in Rural Australia have become very popular destinations for Rural People over the Summer period. Many Country Towns now have a local Lake, and so much work has gone into upgrading these Lakes but also the facilities that surround them. Many Farmers use the Lakes as a Holiday destination. Families set up camp, and some stay for as long as a month. Farmers can then duck back to the Farm if something needs doing during the day and head back to camp later in the arvo to do family things. It's how some people like to do it; they are getting the family experience, but they are still able to do things on the Farm. However, some would argue that they are not getting time away from the Farm, and those people take holidays where they don't return to the Farm for a couple of weeks. There's no right or wrong rule here; it's what suits each individual family. Which way does your family go on your Summer Holiday, locally or a far? Reply to [email protected]

It's how we react

I was talking to a Farmer who used to get 3 quotes for everything he bought on the Farm at 3 local Ag stores. Nowadays, as he has got older, he doesn't bother. We got talking about this, and he said he used to study the human reaction when someone lost a quote. Some would just take it in their stride and get on with the next activity for the day. Others would take it a little personally and get a bit peeved. I remember back to my days on the Farm and when we were selling Rams. Sometimes, you would lose a client, and I made sure that my reaction was one of respect and that it was the client's decision to do what they liked. I would do this in the hope that one day, they would return to buy Rams one day. However, I have seen some Stud masters react very differently. They would hold a real grudge and make it so uncomfortable that there was no hope the client would ever return. Have you seen poor reactions from people who missed a quote or lost a client? Reply to [email protected]

Your replies

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

• “Re bore water, our house on the Farm was built in the late 1890s, and we bought it over 5 years ago. There is a well for bore water, and the previous owners never had a tank. We now mix the tank and bore water to use in the house”. - In regards to our Note on bore water.

• “However, it was a turning point for our family/farming career. Our kids wanted to Farm but not milk Cows, so we made the big decision to sell the Dairy and buy a Cropping property. Luckily, it was just before Land prices went through the roof, and seasons have been kind”. - In reply to our blessing in disguise Note, where something bad happened, which then turned into something good.

• “My rule whenever I bury a power cable while the trench is open is to lay a 1 1/2 inch poly pipe in the trench”. - A Farmer who was ahead of his time because it’s now standard to fill the trench about halfway, roll out a plastic layer, and then fill the rest of the trench in. That way, if you dig and hit the plastic, you know that there is power further down.

• “Makes me think of the spin across Ag and regional Australia generally. You'd think hundreds of thousands of Farmers protesting across Europe due to extreme environmental policies should be across our news.  Considering they are protesting the exact measures that we are being torpedoed towards us and no one seems to be waving their hands going, hang on a sec, maybe we should look at what the EU and their environmental policies have done to the Farmers in Europe before we continue down this path". - A Farmer who is worried about all the red and green tape that’s been inflicted on us as Farmers recently.

End of message.

Dwain Duxson
0427 011 900

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