Christmas is here
Christmas is here and once again along comes the rain. Another 20 to 30 mm went through the district in a rain event that coved SA, Vic, Tas, NSW and Qld. All areas received some very good falls and I even heard of some severe flood and wind damage. The Oxley area North West of Hay in NSW was hit bad with two iconic Woolsheds owned by famed former Liberal politician and AWI Chairman Ian McLachlan (Tupra Station) and his equally famous neighbour Bob McFarland (Oxley Station) were absolutely flattened by what had to be a tornado. One of the wool presses still hasn’t been found. I also heard at Boolagil (NSW) 300 metres of newly laid bitumen was picked up and tossed over 300 metres away all in one piece. Thank goodness we didn’t have that locally.

Clowning about
Innovative young agronomist Andrew “Clown” Newell is the guy who was reported (you heard it first, well maybe second….) in last weeks SLF who is branching out on his own in the agronomy world. He is setting up a new model in which he can service his clients by charging a set fee for every acre under crop. I’m told that he already has 23 starters and wants to cap it at 25. All the best to him as I hear he is getting some good support from the natives.

Keeping us all guessing
Famous native Stewart “Smacker” MacPherson who was seen in Ballarat over the weekend “loitering on the corner with evil intent” is keeping us all guessing with his new (so called) flame. When asked he said “No Comment” but what he did reveal to the SLF was that “I told you I would have one before Christmas”. Nothing like leaving it until the last minute. I will be keeping my ear to the ground on this one.

2008, what’s in store
I like looking forward and I will be wracking my brain over the Christmas/New Year period trying to come up with some predictions about 2008. For what its worth I will reveal my findings early in the New Year.

Sheep prices on the move
One thing I know will happen in 2008 and that’s that sheep will get expensive. I attended the Narromine (NSW) sale last week and several lines of young ewes broke the $100 barrier. All this will be music to many farmers’ ears.

What we remember 2007 for:
The year “Smacka” found a girlfriend
“Jack” telling the Dr that “you may as well take me straight to Grays Bridge”
“Herbie” arriving home from overseas several stone lighter
“Irons” Carter taking all the trophies home from the Royal
“Larry” Cameron emerging and providing plenty of “fodder” for this column
The year we received average rainfall in what will be looked back as a drought
The football and netball reunion
“Pest” Raggatt carting around a chook in his ute
“Be My” Guest going camping (of sorts)
“Guru Norm” retaining his spot as the richest farmer in the district
The year the Wallaloo creek ran (hasn’t done it for a while)
The unveiling of the Don Murphy “50 years at Landmark” scoreboard at the MCG
Farmer Healy converting to “No Till”


That’s about all from me and I will see you in 2008