October 2010
This time last year we were battling very, very dry condtions with diminishing protien in the grass, dust storms and little sign of rain. We couldn't finish our MGM animals to our satisfaction and we stopped sales leading up to Christmas for this reason. In contrast, this year we have been marvelling at bountiful, unseasonal rain that has brought a carpet of fresh green grass to our entire place. The end of the year in Western Qld is often very hot, dry with concern for our animals always a high priority and the threat of bush fires to keep us on our toes! Thankfully this year we will have plenty of grass and plenty of animals ready for you all.
George has recently brought our new sires for MGM cattle home from a stud near Inglewood.. Black Angus are well known for marbling, good meat quality and temperament. We like them also because they are poll (without horns) which means we don't have to cut horns on the calves. George selected the new bulls for muscle, early maturation, good meat cover and quiet temperament. He will pick this years rams as well on his way home. It will be 2-3 years before the offspring from these animals will be ready for MGM packs but we are always excited to see the new bulls and rams arrive. A number of years ago we unloaded the new bulls and had our jersey milking cows in the yards. One huge black bull walked over to Tinkerbell (my favourite cow) and starting drinking her milk! We realised he had reached his size through a milk fed diet!! Shows how good fresh, unpasturised milk can be.
Muyong - view from windmill
George & Dad with sheep in yards
MGM weaner cattle
MGM lambs
January 2010
An unexpected flood on Muyong earlier in January took fencing and more sheep with it. A repeat of Jan 2009! Torrential rain caused flash flooding and some of our stock were caught in normally dry gullies, eventually drowning as they were washed into the main creek channel. Several weeks later, we have most of the fences back up again and when we muster everything in, we will know the extent of the stock losses. Mostly sheep it would seem. Cattle are much better swimmers.
The good news is that our country has had a good soaking and is looking a totally different place compared to the scenery we were used by the end of 2009. It was a picture of continual hot, hot days, dry and dusty paddocks and country in desperate need of moisture. The lawn around our house is no longer the greenest piece of dirt on the place. There is rolling green grass wherever you look. Perfect for 100% grass farming!
Best wishes to all our customers for a wonderful 2010!
Before the rain - Dec 2009
Mustering weaner cattle - Jan 2010
Muyong flood - Jan 2010
Muyong flood - Jan 2010
Muyong flood - Jan 2010
Sunset - Jan 2010
February 2009
Green grass everywhere! Most of January was cloudy with steady soaking rain falling over all of our country. Our dams are brimming and the sheep & cattle are content with all the thick and lush grass. We are really enjoying the transformation from a hot, dry and dusty landscape, at the end of last year, to the beautiful scenery we feast our eyes on now! No matter how many times we see it after rain, it is still a wonder. Its like life returning to a parched land. The birds and wildlife seem to be present in increasing abundance, wildflowers are blooming and water is in the creeks and waterholes again.
For farmers who battle to present 100% grass fed, chemical free meat to you, its a true blessing. Demand for our meat is increasing rapidly so we are pleased to have that co-incide with plenty of available meat and rainfall. We will have no trouble in supplying plenty of beef and lamb for many months now.
Please read the new section on our website "The way we see it".
July 2008
A long time between posts – life is always busy on the farm! With home schooling, running our business, work on the farm, building projects, community commitments – there is never a dull moment at Muyong.
After all the wonderful rain earlier in the year, our country grew so much grass it was quite amazing. The Flinders grass (native) which normally grows about 30-40cm high grew up to 50-60cm this year – George & I had never seen it so strong and lush. The Mitchell grass (native) also responded to the moisture with incredibly thick growth. We had trouble with baby lambs being lost and unable to find their mothers due to the density of grass.
We made the decision to offer some of our country for short term adjistment to some fellow producers (with chemical free practices) with drought stricken cattle further west of here. Our country needed animals to use the abundance of grass and they needed grass urgently to keep their animals alive. It was a pitiful sight to see these poor weak animals arriving – some barely able to stand. We can only begin to imagine the heartbreak the owners have been going through – waiting for decent rain for several years. It was a pleasure to see their cattle looking remarkably more content after just a week of good food.
Since then, our country has been without rain for about 6 months. Although there is still plenty of grass in our paddocks, it has dried off considerably and the ratio of green grass (high in protein) to dried grass (hay) is diminishing. With that situation, we can end up with plenty of food for the animals, but a protein drought, due to less green grass in amongst the dried grass. We are praying for 24mm or more of rain to green up the grass and fix the protein situation. Such are the challenges with 100% grass fed animals.
So far, we are continuing to send our loads of meat to S.E.Qld and the animals are still reaching the correct weights.
We have had a lot of enquiry from other areas of Qld and interstate from people wanting to purchase our 100% grass fed, chemical free meat. At this stage we are concentrating on S.E. Qld but don’t rule out expanding into other areas in the future. Anyone outside our normal delivery area is welcome to get in touch with us.
We start lamb marking next week – all the sheep with lambs are mustered in and drafted (sorted), the lambs are marked and then returned to their paddocks with their mothers. Every individual lamb has to be manually picked up (about 15kg) and marked. Mustering on a motorbike at dawn on these icy cold mornings is character building! Sometimes, it is so cold that we can barely make our mouths move to speak on the two-way radio. But we love it – sheep or cattle work can be a lot of fun.
January 2008 – Rain! Rain! Rain!
Well, what a start to this year! This part of Western Qld has an average 17 inch (425ml) rainfall. Some years, the total rainfall is a lot, lot less – other years we are blessed with more. We measured about 8 inches (200ml) for Nov/Dec and have had a further 7 & a half inches(188ml) for January - so far! The dams and waterholes are full, plenty of grass and everyhting is washed so clean by the rain.
Why all this excitement about rain you ask?… Well for 100% grass fed meat and wool producers, the sight of rolling plains of green grass and herbages is a pleasure indeed. Care for our animal is a constant concern. Adequate nutrition and water is vital for a healthy animal. Dry times make this a lot harder. To be looking out on contented animals with an abundance of food and water is a true blessing.
On the down side… the country is now so wet (black soil downs) that even getting out to muster or truck the lambs and cattle is proving a challenge. Please keep in touch with us about the next expected delivery date of our meat packs.
We have been using the wet days to catch up on wet weather jobs, office work, walks to see the creeks flooding and our children & I have started school again.One of the advantages of homeschooling is that you can be flexible with when the school work is done. We know that when it stops raining and dries up, we will have a lot of work to attend to outside.
These photos have all been taken this month (January 2008)
Bringing sheep
down the lane early one morning
Some of our wool
sheep surrounded by a sea of fresh green mitchell grass
Letting lambs
out of the yards on a rainy day
A normally dry
creek at Muyong in flood