DISPATCHES FROM THE FARMRSS

Two Seasons within One Week!

Tuesday, October 19, 2010
In the last 2 weeks or so we have seen the blossoming of spring in its myriad colours and forms and as I have mentioned it had started to warm up a bit, with some lovely sunny days, reaching up to a grand 20deg C on occasion.


Tagasaste - AKA Tree Lucerne, a forage shrub legume often planted to help feed cattle.


Cherry Blossoms (only ornamental unfortunately!)

One of the things we love about living in a 'cool' climate is the distinct change of seasons.


Gingko Biloba leaflets - An ancient tree species with beautiful fan-shaped leaves, used in Chinese
medicine as a memory improver among other attributes. 

   
Blackwood tiny white 'pom pon' blossoms - a type of wattle 



Black Wattle's Golden 'clouds' of blossom

Well, as is quite typical and possibly inimitable for our location in the Victorian Central Highlands (app.700m above sea level), we reverted to winter over the weekend...and I mean WINTER...it SNOWED late Friday night/early Saturday morning!! As far as we're aware it's the only snow we've had this year (we weren't here for a few weeks) and it's occurred in October after what was the coldest winter we've had for a while - go figure? It is very pretty.


Remaining snow on the seed raising mix in the barrow.

It was due to a massive cold front coming across from the Great Australian Bite, where a lot of our weather influences blow in from during winter and lets say spring too at times! (Summer is more from the Nth & West)


What was left of the snow in our yard by around 8am Saturday morning...

...then it rained and rained all Saturday, yesterday we still had around 10 deg C and drizzle alternating with short bursts of sun, then today (Tuesday), we have a glorious 16 deg C sunny day, which feels really warm in comparison (the heating's not on!) and by Friday it will apparently be back up to 20, then13 again on Saturday!

The point I'm making about these commonly variable weather patterns of spring and early summer is that this climate is the very reason why we tend to 'late season' crops.We are generally around 1 month behind Melbourne and similar climates for example and this year a bit later due to all the wonderful rain. Farming really does teach you 'surrender' and going with the flow via Nature's 'classroom' - there's certainly no point in fighting it.

I'm aware there's intense weather in other parts of the country recently too, such as the immense rain and floods in Qld.

I hope wherever you are, you are safe, dry and comfortable and I wish you a really good day!

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