The first day of summer and the sun has definitely shown her face, it has been scorching like you wouldn't believe! A few weeks back, possibly around the time of the Kaikoura earthquakes, I was going to write and ask where the idea of summer was? Because we were, quite honestly, getting that much rain it was incredible. I'm talking - causing the water tank to overflow, sort of rain. It was mental. In general terms, every weekend (aside from this one just gone) we have gotten a nice decent downpour and then the rest of the week is quite fine. It suits me, if I'm honest. It's nice to get some rain every now and again, although now the heat has set in the ground is all dry and cracked, so summer has definitely arrived.
Because of the weather all of the cropping has been put behind by a vast amount - Dad is still doing pre emergent spraying (you have a set window of 4-7 days where you can spray the crops for any weed regrowth before the crops germinate) as well as post emergent spraying (same principle, just once the crops have germinated). I believe he will probably be doing more post emergent spraying in the next few weeks too. However, due to another contractor becoming rather sick and ending up in hospital, Dad's had to jump in and take over a massive sprayout job of 50ha which they're doing today. It's crazy, usually by this time of year he would be only really spraying gorse. Weather can cause so many dramas if it really tries hard enough!
Along with that spraying, gorse and buttercup spraying and all the usual milkings, we're also run off of our feet with fencing. We've got three to four months of work ahead of us and people seem to like "deciding" that they want their fencing done, preferably before Christmas. We just laugh at them. That's all we can do. Funny how when all the nice weather comes out, and people start looking at their properties properly, they get a funny idea of what they think could be changed and they seem to expect all of us fencers (because there are a heck of a lot of us around here) to be sitting around waiting for them to call. Because surely we can't be that busy, you mightn't believe me if I said that it is preferable for clients to book fencing at least 6 months to a year in advance - it just makes life so much more easier!
But apart from actual work, life is busy. I'm due to have two days off on Monday and Tuesday - more than two weeks since my last day of no milkings, however I think there is a sick family member at one of the farms I work on, so I may be needed to cover for them there. It'll mean I'll lose half a day off each day, but I'm not too worried - it's just what I do.
Meanwhile the lead up to Christmas is chaotic, as you would expect! Whenever Mum and I have days at home we're trying to sort certain areas of the house. I've been cleaning a fair few windows and almost all the curtains to go with them and generally we're trying to spring clean the house and section - as well as try and run our garden and not go insane! We're overburdened with strawberries at the moment like you wouldn't believe!
I get to go and spend some more money on Ali on Monday when she goes up for a service and I get to start my Christmas shopping that day too...I'm so excited. Christmas (and my 21st birthday) are less than four weeks away. Where has the year gone?!
On another note, going to the movies with TayTay tomorrow night, seeing Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them. Lets hope it's a good movie!
Summer, welcome to the world!!! I know what you mean about the rain, its ridiculous. Dad has a rain gauge and checks it religiously, he calculated that sometime last week we had the first 7 consecutive days with no rain for the whole year. In other words, it has rained atleast once every 7 days for the whole year. In reality, it has rained over half the days of this year already, and the year hasn't finished!
ReplyDeleteHaha, I'm going to keep quiet about the rushing fencers bit. We just did that. Our back boundary has been absolutely trashed, its one that gets battered by the wind more than anything, so it all just corrodes so fast. But anyway, being a back boundary fence, its kinda more important, so both us and the other farmer agreed that it is pretty urgent, so rang a couple of fencers to ask if they would be able to do it. So I guess, at least we weren't kinda just expecting them to, more like hoping, really. But a couple of them will get together and do it just after Christmas, thankfully.
Hey, on the bright side, lots of business means that you're not desperate for a job! :P
And enjoy your movie with TayTay (realy? :P) tomorrow! I have never heard of the film, but, enjoy! :P
Yeah we haven't had to buy in water yet...last year we were buying truckloads in during October. Get one every three or four weeks. Will have to think about it just prior to Christmas now I'd say.
DeleteHahaha really? If it's notorious for wind damage, maybe you should keep it in mind before it gets too bad!! Lol but good you've got the professionals coming to fix it ;) I'd be interested (different area, I know) on what they charge per metre/hour. Depending on what exactly they're doing and who is providing the materials...
Although if it's difficult land they'll probably charge more.
Haha yes for now.
TayTay is his nickname! Or Tay, we hardly ever call him that though. Just easier with there being two Taylor's. She doesn't like her name shortened and he does. At Christmas and my birthday if they're both here, I'll have to tell people he is Tay so nobody gets confused :P lol
Oh and Fantastic Beasts is a Harry Potter spin off. There's a book but I never read it
DeleteThat's right, you guys normally buy in water, I'd temporarily forgotten that. Lol, when one is knee deep in mud, one tends to forget such luxuries like dry ground and droughts... :P Haha, nah, I shouldn't joke, buying water is expensive, it must be really nice not needing too! There's a distinct advantage in living near a reliable spring.
DeleteYeah, but being a back boundary, you very seldom go near it, just send the dogs round for mustering. Dad is the one to make the call on when a fence needs replacing, and us getting some heifers back from the neighbor was the first time he's been right up to it for probably 20 years, since he built the thing... :P I mean, he's been close, checking cattle lick and stuff, but you never just think, hmm, I should pop over and see how the fence is getting on... :P Its mostly pretty easy land actually, just following along a slight ridge, nothing too steep. Its that dairy farm, btw, so their side of the boundary is nice easy country. the farmers will be providing materials, although I think the other farmer wants to reuse the posts and dad doesn't, so that'll have to be decided. (It'll be amicably decided, don't worry... :P)
They also specialise in fencing by hand, no tractor, even in places where you could use a tractor, so that probably knocks rates up a bit. And I think they get paid by the hour, I'll find out from dad what they charge and email it.