Friday 28 February 2014

pages in blogs........

See just above this post but below the header there are a pile of links to things well they are all separate pages of info........blogger has just changed how you do them.........(the only good thing they have done for awhile).......now they look just like the lists of post in your settings............and you can change how they sit/order in the layout of your template section...........


don't use pages what are they????
well treat them like a one off post of something you would like people to look at more often............
see the different things i have in mine..............you will get the idea..........
.........take care til next time.....Chookyblue.........

Thursday 27 February 2014

garden babies............

I let all the calves in to the garden on the weekend to eat some green lawn.......
mostly they are going well.........
...we lost one on Tuesday.........maybe a snake as we've had a lot floating around............

4 of the 5 in this photo below are ones I am feeding..............
Not sure there is any assistance we can get from the Federal Government announcements yesterday..........need some more details which are hard to find.........have to wait and see.........
Catch you later
Chookyblue

Wednesday 26 February 2014

tooo late.............

bit sad/devastated at the moment................I showed you these girls back in September here when we culled the rest of the mob..........these were joined with a bull and were to be kept to add to our breeders........well they are currently up for sale.............something else has to go and these are the next group................I am even more sad about this as Mr Chooky and I went thru and selected what to keep together..........it's usually Mr Chooky and his Dad but he was out of action at the time so I got the job............I feel more attached to them........we need to check the water where they are ever couple of days and to save Mr Chooky that job I have usually been there at least once a week if not more often checking they were right............
When we got the rain last week the other properties only got 18-20mls..
mind you the rain we got here is fizzling out too............
there is a chance this week but it's so up and down the forecast it will probably be nothing once again....................no where near enough to do anything....................would be nice to be able to stop feeding EVERYTHING........as the days tick by it gets closer to me running out of feed............so we have to get rid of some more stock...
%%%%
Will be interesting to see what the Federal government announce today but considering so much of the country is drought it is about time they got there act together.............
....whatever they announce today won't save thee girls.............
now to wait til Friday auction to see what price we get for them - I can guarantee it won't be what they are worth.  :(
.....Catch you later
Chookyblue

Monday 24 February 2014

cute calves..........

Popping in to have a feed with their Mummies........I snapped these yesterday......
cute............
they don't move from the trough until it is all gone.............
Catch you later
Chookyblue

Saturday 22 February 2014

the cows don't know about weekends.............

Shame the cows don't know your suppose to have a rest on the weekend...............
Sometimes when your busy weekends disappear into the week.............but when your on a feeding routine there is not really any room for moving around..........it's 7 days a week here.........
Except when things go pear shaped like yesterday and my cows here missed out on their feed.......I fed the calves after dark but I wasn't going to feed the cows then...............
Sadly one of the cows from this mob didn't come in for feeding this morning...............not sure what happened to her but I found her dead up the paddock........I can't work out which baby is hers yet and she died maybe a couple of days ago so I am hoping her calf is sneaking a feed off the other Mum's............

The sheep are fed daily and the calves morning and night...............I lost one of the new ones today.........so back to 20......6 are on milk at the moment.....sometimes you get a cow/calf and they just give up............I think this is what happened to this calf............
Here are Mini and Minor saying hi........Mini is growing be he is still tiny............

Still haven't worked out if my cows here are being fed every 2 or 3 days..............
But we are feeding on 2 other properties every 2 days so it is a big day coming up again tomorrow............but I will be trying to get things done quicker tomorrow not that I am sure it is possible but a little delay here or there like yesterday can really throw the day out.............
&&&&
Was nice to have lunch with a couple of neighbours today.............
Its amazing what you can do when you only have 30mins to cook and clean.............
It was simple but it was nice to just get together.....and they weren't expecting the Royal Doultan and a 4 course dinner..................
Catch you later
Chookyblue

Friday 21 February 2014

Felfies and a challenge for Miss Ric Rac..........

It was a day of "Felfies" (farmer selfies)
I wanted to share the sky with you............I know not very glamorous of me but hey what do you expect.......the cows won't notice if my hair and makeup is done............
the clouds had me intriged today........not rainy ones but wispy and constantly changing........
the blue sky was very blue..........a stunning sky.......... 
up the side of the silo too.............
Now here is a challenge for Miss Ric Rac.........
her brain works in way we will never know so if anyone is going to find a use for bale twine she will..........we have bundles of it that will go to the tip.........surely there is something we could do with it..........create something...........it's a light yellow colour.......
I walked in the door at 8.30pm after feeding all day to a call from a friend checking up on me and a good mail day tucked under my arm.............
I will go to bed feeling blessed tonight..............THANKYOU...........
Catch you later
Chookyblue

Wednesday 19 February 2014

OMG what is this??????

What is this stuff...........it was on my windscreen going to work this morning...........
And I heard something on the roof while I was at work too.................
and when I got home we got another little storm..............
this is great............we need lots more but it could be the start we need............we had 14mls on Sunday, 3 mls last night and today we got 27mls.............our second biggest fall since June 2012...........
Falls close enough together to add up............didn't fill any dams but run a little bit of water around.............
It was so nice to smell the rain and hear it on the roof.............such a nice cool breeze coming in the window...........heaven.............
now I know it can rain...............come on mother nature keep going............this won't be enough to stop feeding the cows and sheep...........................
Catch you later
Chookyblue

Monday 17 February 2014

something to read..........

you should read this article.........The human cost of drought can't be counted...............

.........take care til next time.....Chookyblue.........

not what was forecast...........

We have got a little fall............I wasn't here when it fell................they had forecast 100% 20-40mls now if we got the 40mls that would have been a great start.........but  14mls.......it's so dry it won't do much........little shoots of green will come thru in a few lighter spots then frizzle up and die within a day or so........
&&&
a few cooler days............we've had about 10 days under 34deg in the last couple of months......and about 10 days under 30 in the last 3 months.....so high 20's and low 30's for the next week will be great........and nights where I can sleep without a fan on..........heaven.............it's been a long hot dusty summer and I can't wait to see the back of it.............a cold shower that is actually cold...........
&&&
something to read.....check it out........last mob of cows we sold we got 30cents/kg..............it should be about $1 more than this.......

We still have to wait at least another week for the Prime Minster to consider anything.............
Throwing heaps of money into mental health in drought areas - maybe if they didn't leave it for so long to to announce even drought declarations that part of our stresses would have been relived much earlier..............

 
And look what I found in my garden.............2 more black babies..........yep 21............still to decide if these will go onto milk they are a little older and not drinking properly..............
.........take care til next time.....Chookyblue.........

Friday 14 February 2014

not the usual grocery bill...........

Grocery shopping for the cows..........
Never had a road train in my garden..........
Just to put things into perspective so you can understand some things about a drought........
This hay load is close enough to $11000 ($137/head)
This will keep the cows alive for a bit over 2-3 months depending on how much we have to feed out............our 80 cows are separated into 4 mobs.........since they are just about to calve or they are feeding a calf they need 1/2 a bale of hay/mob every 2 days............but we will see how they go on getting 1/2 a bale every 3 days...........each bale weighs just over 1/2 a tonne............not so easy to feed out since we don't have a front end loader to lift them around...........we borrowed the neighbours to unload the truck......
Didn't take long for the cows to find the hay that had dropped off the side brushing past the tree......once this hay is gone the cows will probably be gone............
Catch you later
Chookyblue

no. 19 joins the ranks................

Yep yesterday afternoon they brought yet another one home.............
now I have 19 calves..........feeding milk to 13...........the other 6 on pellets and dry lick and some hay..........
this one is a little older maybe 1-2 weeks.......being a bit old it is a little harder to get them feeding......but once you get hold of them and force the teat in they start drinking.......
Little bit of pink eye hence the blue eye shadow........
Catch you later
Chookyblue

Thursday 13 February 2014

lobbying government............

Some people have asked who to lobby. I have included some links I have received.
Feel free to harass as much as you want..............I don't have the time or the energy left to do this.............
State Government are the ones responsible for our very delayed drought declarations.
Federal Government is still yet to announce any assistance.

Drought is a word both governments don't want to use anymore which is ridiculous
We should ban the words cyclone, flood and fire to so they don't happen to the country too and the government won't have to provide assistance for people in those natural disasters too.

Maybe we should move everyone out of Australia so the government doesn't have to help the people of their country/state.

Barnaby Joyce (Federal Minister for Agriculture)
Facebook: Barnaby Joyce
Email: barnaby.joyce.mp@aph.gov.au
Tamworth Office
Phone: 02 6761 3080     Fax: 02 6761 3380
Post: PO BOX 963, Tamworth, NSW, 2340
Parliamentary Office
PO Box 6022
House of Representatives
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Telephone: (02) 6277 7520      Fax: (02) 6273 4120

Prime Minister Tony Abbott link to email him

Parliament Office

PO Box 6022
House of Representatives
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Telephone:
(02) 6277 7700
Fax:
(02) 6273 4100











Joe Hockey Federal Treasurer  link to email

Barry O'Farrell Premier of NSW Govermnent   email link

Andrew Stoner Deputy Premier NSW Goverment email

Katrina Hodgkinson (NSW  Government Minister for Primary Industries)
Level 30, Governor Macquarie Tower
1 Farrer Place
SYDNEY NSW 2000

Phone: 02 9228 5210
Fax: 029228 5969
Email: mailto:office@hodgkinson.minister.nsw.gov.au


Mark Coulton (Federal Member for our area)
Dubbo Electorate Office
Unit 3/153 Brisbane Street
DUBBO NSW 2830
Phone: (02) 6882 0999     Fax: (02) 6882 9935
Moree Electorate Office
69 Heber Street
MOREE NSW 2400
Phone: (02) 6751 1251     Fax: (02) 6751 1253
Parliamentary Office
RG 91
Parliament House
CANBERRA ACT 2600
Phone: (02) 6277 4094    
Fax: (02) 6277 4977

Kevin Humphries (State Government member for our area also Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Healthy Lifestyles, and Minister for Western New South Wales 
Moree Electorate Office
Phone: (02) 6752 5002     Facsimile: (02) 6752 6102
Postal Address:
161 Balo Street
PO Box 958
Moree NSW 2400
Cobar Electorate Office:
Phone: (02) 6836 3722       Facsimile: (02) 6836 3811
Postal Address:
11 Barton Street
PO Box 99
Cobar NSW 2835


What ever Barnaby Joyce takes to government it has to be approved by Cabinet. So here is the list of the Ministry
.........take care til next time.....Chookyblue.........

molasses...........

Something we have been using in the drought............mix it in a tank with salt, water and urea
pour it into the lick drums............
Molasses gives the cows energy, urea helps convert the feed that they are getting better, salt (stops the mix fermenting in the heat)
We do big mixes and fill all the drums about twice a week...............
The cows love it.............so keen for it they will even come and lick it while I am still filling the drums...........
PROBLEM.............
where we are getting out molasses has no further supply............no idea where we can get this from.............just another issue to deal with.............
feel like I am drowning this week............
other issues to deal with on top of the drought...............life still has to go on no matter what.............problems become much harder to deal with as the emotional toll takes hold.........this has been going on for far to long....................

please only comment if you know where we can find molasses in central/north western NSW...........
Catch you later
Chookyblue

Wednesday 12 February 2014

????????????

Finally some acknowledgements from the government......
...seems we are in drought.........they have a long way to go...........
the minister has no idea how long this has been going on in some areas..........baby steps............
Catch you later
Chookyblue

Tuesday 11 February 2014

no more hay............

The hay is all gone........we baled it back here in 2008 when Jodie came to visit we were carting it in.........we are currently trying to source some more............unfortunately it isn't as cheap as I thought it was so trying to work out how much we can get for my budget is causing stress............maybe it will keep us going for a 2-3 months depends how the cows go on it..........how much and how often we have to feed them............
and another local dusting of the house..............yippee............
Catch you later
Chookyblue

Monday 10 February 2014

environmental lawn mowers and a new baby...............

some of the sick lambs we have brought home that have survived.............they know as soon as the gate is open...........they take off around the shed and into the garden............onto the bit of lawn.......there are about 13 of them too........I usually mow the lawn weekly but for the last 6 months or more it is more likely every 3-4 weeks if then..........
one of the 2 babies i brought home last night.............abandoned by Mum.........found in a paddock that does not even have cows in it............the blue is some spray we have been putting into their eyes if they have pink eye...............sleeping after breakfast this morning...............
even with temps like this work still needs to be done out side............
cows and sheep still need to be fed...........
MOST IMPORTANTLY READ THIS LINK
bit of a summary of some articles put together by the ABC...........have a read.............link it on your social media etc...........keep getting the news out there.........
&&&
I have just had to pop into town for more calf milk supplies and ran into a few neighbours.........yep they are struggling..........so many worries.....how do you sell stock that are not worth any money because the prices are CRAP.........sourcing feed and the cost of it.......water issues.....among many other things.......and still no acknowledgement by government that we are in drought.............
Catch you later
Chookyblue
PS already 42deg

Sunday 9 February 2014

It's been a looooong day......

Up at 4am to get some hay to feed the cows here as we have run out
Then fed at another property
I feel tired like these poor girls
Just falling into bed now
Have another abandoned baby from them too pics will come soon
Catch you later
Chookyblue

Friday 7 February 2014

Thanks and I need your help...............

Thanks so much for all your support........it is much appreciated.......some days are easier then others some are very difficult like today............
drought is really difficult and makes you feel very isolated at times......
I have thought of a way your could help............
do some posts on your blogs, istagram, facebook, twitter, whatever it is talk about the drought to your family, kids, friends and neighbours, politicians anyone who will listen.............make sure people know this is going on in the cities.............we need everyone talking about this...........more areas are getting dry.....people running out of water, carting water.....more breeding stock going to slaughter.............
meat prices may not have dropped to reflect the prices some people are getting at the moment but let me assure you once this drought breaks if there is any stock left on farms the farmers will be hanging on to it and you will not be able to afford to buy it at the butchers or supermarkets............
so show your support..........do some posts......feel free to use one of my images from this week....
come out to the country for a visit............
the better support people have now the better they will be emotionally too...............
already I know in our situation it will take years to recover.....
and this is no where near over yet............
.........take care til next time.....Chookyblue.........

death surrounds you in a drought...............

poor lamb............I won't show you what the crows did.....but it breaks my heart everytime......
we have some feed issues happening with our lambs too..........
we need to sort it out but sourcing feed and at what price if you can get what you need is unbelievable.............
feed prices are going up weekly............getting harder to source..............
not a good day here...........
Chookyblue............

Thursday 6 February 2014

more babies...........

No baths at my place............it's milk mixing station morning and night.....
I haven't shared these yet............"Dopey" arrived about 2 weeks
ago..............big floppy ears.......
then on Monday night we got 2 more................abandoned
or doing poorly on their mothers who are not producing enough
milk..............
Meet "Mini" he is so tiny.......smallest calf i've seen for some time........so cute
no name but arrived with Mini.............
Had to wean a couple more and they kept me awake last night bellowing about it........
Catch you later
Chookyblue

Wednesday 5 February 2014

feeding sheep - a daily exercise...............

Every morning bright and early we are out feeding sheep..........
Catch you later
Chookyblue

A dusty night................

A change came thru...........but I couldn't open the house for the cooler
breeze as it was blowing so much dust.....
I could see the piles of dust I was sweeping up in 3 parts dark so it's not
good..........
our coo change max 34deg today.........
Catch you later
Chookyblue

Tuesday 4 February 2014

Checking the water at NL.....

Note to self - office skirt and  shoes are not the best work gear......
Thanks ABC for your drought coverage
Catch you later
Chookyblue

bridging the divide............

I've been thinking too much lately (causes lack of sleep too)..........but after some happenings of the weekend...........I was looking back thru my blog and things started to go pear shaped in August.....I only truly realised this once I looked back.........I also realised your still here reading.............some have unsubscribed - fair enough.........
But as there are very few farm bloggers I must keeping blogging to put farming in your face.............the city country divide is only getting wider........
Some interviews on the radio yesterday proved some people don't even know what a drought is.....
@@@@@
My blog has also turned into a bit of a record of life here on the farm...........I was easily able to find drought pics over the time to hand to the "powers that be" at a drought meeting as I take them to share with you........
I also realised we are going into our 4th bad year..........
2011 was not so good..........we had the cattle out on the road for 6 months and fed sheep for awhile
we had a wet summer 2011/2012
since April 2012  22 months we've had 433mls
our avg annual rainfall is 500-525mls
the last 7 months 69ml not even 3 inchs
And over the weekend I snapped a few pics and thought about sharing so that is what I am going to do...............when I can I will snap a pic and post it........just from my phone......
don't they say "a picture is worth a thousand words"
Also I won't worry about not replying to comments..........if I can reply I will if not I won't stress............

(heading off to feed sheep Sat morning)
Also there is a bad drought in California too...........
basically you need us to provide your food..........
no farmers no food
We can prepare for drought but how long is a piece of string................
we can only do so much...........
Catch you later
Chookyblue