Westwell Journal
Just for balance.Although we receive and expect nothing being hobby farmers, I thought I'd post this here as you might not see it otherwise.
http://theland.farmonline.com.au/news_daily.asp?ag_id=26679&s=15314
DAILY NEWS : AGRIBUSINESS AND GENERAL
Too much farm support? Try cars
Thursday, 26 May 2005
The NSW Farmers Association has released startling figures disputing claims from metropolitan media that farming is excessively supported.
Among the criticism from the urban media was Tuesday’s editorial in The Australian newspaper, which questioned whether drought relief encouraged efficient practices, as farmers knew aid would always be there if things got bad in drought years.
But figures prepared by the NSW Farmers Association reveal agriculture is the least supported major industry in Australia.
And drought aid pales into insignificance, when compared with the ongoing assistance provided to the manufacturing industry.
They show that in 2003-04 the Government provided $11 billion in business support to other forms of industry, of which the manufacturing industry received $10b.
This figure is made up of an equivalent $7.5b in tariff programs, virtually all of which is directed to the manufacturing sector.
The automotive industry received $2b in direct tax concessions, while the services sector received around $800m.
And the housing industry has received a $5.2b boost since the Government introduced its First Home Buyers grant.
According to NSW Farmers’ president, Mal Peters, this compares, in farming, with
• Just $79 million a year in direct business support to drought-affected farmers, and
• $137m/year in welfare support.
In total, the Federal Government has provided $225m/year over the past three years, in farm income and business support.
The Government does make the point that, when the cost of other drought-proofing programs is added, such as tax deductions for on-farm infrastructure and lost tax revenue from Farm Management Deposits, the figure is more like $1.6 billion a year.
Even on that basis, however, on an annualised basis, agriculture still receives just a fraction of the total aid given to nearly all of the other major industries.
SOURCE: The Land, NSW, May 26.
Other NewsThis weekend I completed my
Village Firefighter course with the Rural Fire Service.
I'd previously done the
Advanced Firefighter course in April after completing my
Basic Firefighter course in September last year.
The
Village Firefighter course was about fires in buildings, LPG gas bottles and Motor Vehicle Accidents. The
Advanced Firefighter course was more bushfire related with skills on map reading and relay pumping scenarios.
I also have been offered full-time employment. My employer
Chariot NetConnect realised I'd be better employed as a programmer than a client support officer answering phones from customers making payments and helping them getting and staying online.
So my farm fun will be confined to weekends from now.
Last of the potato cropHere are the last of the potato crop. As you can see they're a fairly mixed bunch.
Toolangi (purple), Bison (red), Desiree (pinky brown), Nicola (long and creamy) and a King Edward (pale one in the middle).
So now it's back to boiling rocks ;)
Other Water StoriesWell the day I posted that photo of the dam, it rained.
Not enough to make a difference on the dam as all the water soaked straight into the ground, but worthwhile all the same. We had 13mm that day and 10mm the next but now it's stopped although the prediction is for more in the new week, so here's hoping.
The fall did however get some water into the tank alongside the shed. This concrete tank is used for water for the chooks, calves and the veggie garden. But it's been dry since late March. The tank isn't water tight either, so I bought some bathroom sealant which I painted on the walls of the tank as well as filling some gaps in the walls.
Linda and her dad also got in and scrubbed down the base and patched some possible holes.
And then it rained. We originally had about a foot (30mm) in it, but it still appears to leak through the floor, so when it's next dry, we'll get some cloth tape that can be used to help seal the wall to floor joins and then seal the floor.
And you think Sydney has water problems...Actually the house is OK for water, but the two dams that supply water for the sheep and cattle are very low. There is some in the tank at the top of the hill, but the cows had a habit of rubbing their heads on the taps and knocking off the hose pipe which would empty the tank before I noticed it. They've done this at least twice before I figured out the problem. At the moment I turn the tank off at its base daily after I make sure their water troughs are full. Today I also put some posts and fencing around the taps to help protect them.
This photo is of the front dam. The post in the dam was unseen prior to the levels dropping so low. The white object floating in the reeds is a few pallets with plastic milk bottles and then covered with old feed bags in an attempt to make a floating duck island. March and April this year have been very dry. We had a total of 29mm rainfall in those months.
SheepskinnedThis isn't one of our sheep, but I dare say ours are similar.
Our neighbour was having a few sheep turned into chops and roasts and I asked if I could have a skin to practice preserving hides. I got two!!!
On the shearing course last year all the fellows who had been doing it for a while wore sheepskin moccasins while they were shearing. So that's one outcome planned, also TK could do with a new skin for his bed so that's the other ones plan.
I removed the feet which were still attached, see the bottom of the photo, removed some meat left there, which TK got to try, and then spread salt over the hide. This helps dry it out and preserve it. Next weekend I'll have to scrape it down some more to remove more flesh and it also has to be stretched to break up the remaining muscle/skin fibres to make it more pliable. Also you preserve the hide with alum and washing soda. Also they need a good wash to get all the blood off.
Apparently the sheep had their necks cut then broken.
So now you know where your sheepskin car seats or slippers or jackets come from :)
When I was moving the sheep onto new pasture on Friday, my back was turned and the ram charged through the unenergized wires and knocked me down. I felt like skinning him right then I can tell you.
Other news was that this weekend was the first of two weekends of my training as a "Village Firefighter". This is to do with house, car and gas bottle fires. I've also done my "Advanced Firefighter" training which was basically map reading and pumping scenarios. All very interesting.
