The Sound Of Raindrops Pelting On The Roof When Harvesting in November.
Sing along …
Rain drops are falling on my head
That doesn’t mean it’s not a good thing for the farm,
Raining’s lots of fun…
But I am complaining cause the rain is a falling …
On my crop
And its now at harvest time,
Oh no
This is worrying me.
Classic song isn’t it, might be hard to recognise it, my song writing skills are not always recognised.
Rain drops in July August Sept even October and that would be about right, but it’s the 2nd of November here in Dandaragan Moora West Australia.
The sound of raindrops this time of year is not so good. I know many farmers in this region and rain is not part of the equation at harvest time.
When I drive from Moora to Regans Ford I see rows of canola swathed out in lines to dry before being gathered up to harvest, raindrops in November is not good.
Heard on the news that this October has been one of the driest ones in years, might have looked better had these raindrops arrived a few days earlier. But still that wouldn’t have helped a farmer harvesting their crop today.
Wouldn’t you just love to be a farmer, sow a crop spray a few weeds, harvest it maybe store it for a bit then sell for wads of cash. Sounds like a decent plan. The world needs cereals, there is a proven system in place to grow it, markets out there to buy it so what could possibly go wrong?
Bloody rain, if your karma is not great it can rain too late to sow and too early to harvest for the ultimate outcome, quality and quantity of these little seeds.
Yes these little seeds that we sell as a commodity in a worldwide market, governed in price through supply and demand. And maybe brokers but that’s another story.
Oh yes and let’s not forget, the weather in countries on the other side of the world, did Canada and the US have raindrops at the right time of year? Are their crops bountiful or dry and shrivelled? Are they spoilt by rain at harvest?
This grain producing idea really does sound familiar, like option trading, eft’s, money markets or just straight out gambling. But get it right and hello Christmas shopping time and new car saleyards.
We better set up an advertising campaign to “only grow crops responsibly”. After all you are gambling on the rain for a living, for your families’ well-being, for other businesses to sell products and services to you so they can make a living. You get the point.
When we hear raindrops in April May through September October spare a thought for that cereal box on your table and be grateful for the gamblers that produce it. Remember a happy farmer means a happy town, means a happy region means happy business people and so forth.
The good ole saying that Australia lives off the farmers back may have taken a dent through the mining boom but over time it is still a very valid claim.
Rain drops are magical sounds that we take it for granted, as a farmer they just like them to land within a certain time frame, sounds fair enough.
As I write this those raindrops are getting heavier and its 7am on the 2nd November. I’m not a farmer, we have an accommodation place so the rain drops won’t hurt us today, in fact it means I can turn off the sprinklers as our lawns will get some nice rain water to deepen the greenness and make the village look better. Might even reduce an early bush fire.
This time of year though I can only hear the silence of a harvester in waiting, ready to roar into life and harvest that crop so we can enjoy our breakfast and morning tea scones. (at a fair price J)
Please gamble responsibly.
