Mallee Drought

Last night I visited a farmer friend and just had fun with the animals.
It's a bit tough on the land at the moment and the cows in the photo, although they are eating out of a wheelbarrow are going to market soon.
If my farm had feed on it, some would be going out to my farm!!


The little pig I named "Babe", such a cutie!! New piglets are being born constantly and of course these are heading to the "you know where"
"Babe very nearly came home with me. The only reason she didn't is because she would grow to be a Large White, and I can't see a Large White pig running freely on my acre 'range' here. I think the neighbours might have something to say!


Little calf drinking from Mummy was a sure thing for me here - just what I need, pure fresh milk from the cow! Haven't tasted it for so long! Still .... I recall when I did taste it last it was very, very rich and made me feel a little sick.


Odd that as I was brought up drinking pure fresh milk from the cow. We used to buy it in the billy. Oh how I used to love watching the farmer dip the pint measurer into the big can and measure out the pints.

Today's milk has been stripped of most of the cream and really, what we buy in the shops and drink now is what milk farmers used to feed to the pigs once upon a time.

I had alot of laughs at the farm. The kids have been shooting the Kangaroos as they are in plague proportions around the place. The DRE have been microchipping the Kanga's, and of course the kangaroos which have been shot are fed to the dogs.
The dogs have also eaten the microchips ..... This leaves the DRE in a bit of a mess.
Farmers will only shoot X amount of Kanga's at present.

Farmers need the water more than kanga's in plague proportion. This is something the press won't publish. In fact, Melbournes Sun Herald has very little to say about the mallee! That's because the people refused to allow Bracks to place a toxic dump in the mallee. The one people he seems to dodge are mallee farmers because they say what they think in words which would make a Digger blush.

I'll give him credit for one thing, he had the guts to try.

The Melbourne Herald Sun also won't publish the fact that cracks in the ground here are widening and some are six feet deep and 90 centimeters across - and widening and deepening.

The Newspaper seems to concentrate on the southwest of Victoria and forgets the NORTHWEST!

The killing which is now going on is shocking. Magnificent Corella's are being shot by the score as they tear up the land - especially the cricket pitch.
They are also tearing up the other sporting venues, so that doesn't go down too well.

The Corella will also tear a house to pieces if it is hungry and so they have to be slaughtered.
It grieves me to see these magnificent birds shot.

Sheep which start to look poor are shot in the paddock and the sound of guns going off is common place here now as man fights for survival in a bad drought.

Dead foxes which once lined fences are now being shot and left to rot where they drop. All the foxes now have the mange and are a hideous sight. Farmers won't allow them near precious water and guards are placed on all waterways to shoot them on sight.

Some water channels stink something terrible!

If a farmer's dog swims in one, a person can't go near it for the stink and it is hunted away.

"Dead Holes" are being dug where all dead animals are thrown, these don't smell too good either. They are so scary. I know if a dead human were thrown in one they'd never be found as they are so deep. I'm glad there are none near me!

I don't know what they are doing to stop the water in the big dams for human consumption from stinking as it is now stagnant water. Water purifying pills I suppose. Who would know? Wthout something the water would be starting to contain all kinds of algae including Blue Green.

And Bracksy gets life saving things in for the immigrants because they can't speak english? Hey! In years gone by they weren't allowed to do their own thing iuntil they COULD speak English! Amazing that they can't speak English yet know all about our money system. He must be mad as it's a waste of money.

The gumtrees around here are starting to die. Enormous Olive Groves are hogging the water through a big channel which doesn't stink.

As things worsten, I can see something drastic happening around here before too long.

Strangers entering farmers land are now viewed with utmost suspicion and the dogs set loose. The dogs are trained to surround and they can be viscious. They are not released from surrounding the person until the farmer arrives. so, they are kept where they are until the farmer has spoken and the person escorted off the farm with the dogs beside them.

I have seen this happen and it is not a pretty sight. I shook with fear when I saw fun loving and happy dogs I play with suddenly turn into snarling visciously fanged creatures at the sight of a stranger.

Unfortunately, there are many people from cities touring just to view the ravage in drought stricken areas.
These people are a pest. They drag huge fancy caravans behind a four wheel drive thing, get lost and think they can just enter a property to find out where they are.

Well, sadly enough, they can't do that at the moment. If they get lost, they stay lost and should head to a Police Station to ask directions - or at least have good up to date maps and also bring their own water from the city with them.

The only answer they will get from the farmer is " You are on my property right now - get off."

Living in the area, I know all the farmers from here to yonks and know their first hand stories. And they are tragic. But, they will never give in .........