The summer of 2023-2024 has been pretty harsh in South Australia with reports of the lowest rainfall for 100 years. In the mid north region of SA above the Goyder line it has been particularly dry. Till last week the region had an average of 30mls of rain over the summer.
Dorothy is the counsellor and community representative for Rural Aid in this region and after touching base with some local farmers to ask how they were managing they shared that it was “ very tough indeed. The ground is so very dry and there has been so little rain so no grass whatsoever and the sheep are having to graze on bush clover”. Because of the dry conditions across SA it has been hard to access hay.
At the end of May Rural Aid arranged some hay drops for farmers registered in the region. A total of 8 road trains of hay were allocated to the area around Quorn in the Mid North and were delivered over a 5 week period to farmers.
Dorothy met with the farmers at the farms where hay was being delivered. The farmers were so deeply grateful for this and stated “We have never experienced anything like this in this area”. Farmers in this region are used to dry years and are a resilient bunch but this kindness has meant a lot.
Dorothy had the opportunity for some great chats with the farmers while the hay was being unloaded and took batches of biscuits out to share around each time. Shearing is in progress around the region and conversations about the price farmers were able to get for sheep being incredibly low was a repeated theme.
Getting to meet with the farmers on their farms and hear how they are managing has been a vital connection. The plan is to gather after the hay drops are completed and have a BBQ for the farmers just to provide an opportunity to gather and share with each other in these tough times.
Thanks to Rural Aid for providing this vital encouragement for the farmers in the Mid North of SA.
