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jaybee2003
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| Joined: | 31 Dec 1969 |
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| Posts: | 272 |
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Posted: 2 Jun 2007 02:13 am |
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With regards house water - rain water, we are operating in 'drought mode'. Yes, the "if it's yellow, let it mellow and if it's brown flush it down" applies, as does full washing machine loads only, dishwasher runs only once full, shorter rather than long showers etc etc.
The other day the laundry tap started dripping. Just a slow drip, a little job I put on my "Yes, I must get that fixed soon" list. Out of curiousity I placed a bucket under the tap that night. The next morning, only 12 hours later - a lesson to me. The bucket was nearly full. 11 litres 'lost' in 12 hours.
A 3 minutes shower uses approximately 30 litres. Roughly 1 1/2 days from that dripping tap and we were losing one showers worth of precious water.
Needless to say, the washer was replaced straight away.
Last night our TV Weather reporter joked "Sorry folks, but it's going to be a wet weekend..." Disappointing for some I am sure, as it is a long weekend, but for us, we were jumping for joy, saying yes pleeease!!!
So far though, the sun is shining, a light drying wind is blowing, the sky is blue with a few white clouds - no sign of rain.
I am off to start cleaning windows. Usually cleaning windows guarantees it rains.....here's hoping!
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David Harcourt
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| Joined: | 31 Dec 1969 |
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| Posts: | 1127 |
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Posted: 11 Jun 2007 01:55 am |
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| Is there still a water shortage in Australia? Attached Image (viewed 56 times):
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jaybee2003
Member
| Joined: | 31 Dec 1969 |
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| Posts: | 272 |
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Posted: 14 Jun 2007 01:34 am |
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An email last night from an Australian farming friend. This storm brought them 5mls of rain. The first for years. The cattle have been long gone - sold. Not a blade of grass to be seen on the farm. Her and her daughter-in-law with her two wee children are left on the farm, trying to keep on going day after day, while their respective husbands have gone to Perth, Darwin, anywhere they can find work to bring in some money for the families.
Not a good picture, and apparently one repeated throughout much of the still drought striken areas. I'm not sure how I would cope in the same situation, but they have faith, waiting for the day the rains return and they can farm once more.
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David Harcourt
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Posted: 14 Jun 2007 01:55 am |
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So when you say that they are "trying to keep on going day after day", what is it that they are trying to do?
If they have no cattle, no crops, and no water, in what sense are they "farming"?
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jaybee2003
Member
| Joined: | 31 Dec 1969 |
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| Posts: | 272 |
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Posted: 14 Jun 2007 02:19 am |
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David Harcourt wrote: So when you say that they are "trying to keep on going day after day", what is it that they are trying to do?
If they have no cattle, no crops, and no water, in what sense are they "farming"?
They're not farming David, there is nothing to farm. They were grain feed lot farmers, but even if you can buy in feed, without water, cattle won't survive. The women have stayed simply because it is their home and as a family they decided to pack up and walk off the land isn't an option - yet. I am sure a part of that is thoughts of what once was a major asset/investment, now probably worthless. They live in hope that one day soon, there will be rain and they can farm once again.
Part of the australian bush psyche - "it will rain one day and all will be well. One I am sure I would find hard to live by in the same situation.
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jaybee2003
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| Joined: | 31 Dec 1969 |
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| Posts: | 272 |
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Posted: 14 Jun 2007 02:24 am |
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| Farming is an up and down business worldwide, with not only the weather, but markets etc having effects. I can easily put the cheque book in the bottom drawer and not touch it for a while when things get a bit tough, knowing it will pick up again one day, but when I think of the long term picture/prognosis such as our friends face - I am not sure I could tighten the belt and keep on going being optimistic about the future on the land.
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