^{The weather is an age old topic of discussion.}

^{The current weather system New Zealand is experiencing has farmers worried.}

^{We’ve been living in New Zealand for 36 years and don’t ever remember a spring as dry as the one that has just officially finished. In fact we could say that Spring was a ‘non event’. We’ve gone from a dry winter straight into a summer drought. Dargaville received just 10mms of rain during November.}

^{1st December is the first day of summer.  Pastures over many parts of the country are as parched as they would ‘normally’ be at the end of summer.}

^{This is starting to create a pretty nasty picture for farmers incomes this year on top of last seasons losses from long drought conditions. In the north ground water levels were not filled during the winter. It’s surprising really that grass growth has kept going this long but the extraordinary above average temperatures of the last two weeks have brought things to an end in the grass department. Some crops of newly sown turnips are starting to give up the ghost in the hot, dry soil.}

^{Just to rub salt into the wounds, last night on TV we heard economic commentators say that farmers incomes are coming right! Which planet do these people live on? Farm gate beef prices are not much different now to what they were 10 – 15 years ago. In real terms all farmers incomes have fallen even before we start to consider the drought.}

^{This climatic and economic conditions are bringing devastating consequences.}

There is no way that we can ever begin to imagine what you are all going through.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to you all.

Thousands of Dairy Farmers around New Zealand who get up very early every morning of the week and in some cases every morning of the year. Thousands of dairy farmers who work 15 -16 hour days, 7 days a week.  People on the ground, producing export earnings are some of the people that keep New Zealand going.

This time of year their first job of the day will be to check the calving mob. See who has calved during the night (or since the last time they saw them, which may have only been a couple of hours ago). Making sure that no one is having trouble calving.

Get the cows in for milking and if all goes to plan be finished milking by 7.30 am.

Picture:Kate Smith:

Calves to feed

Picture:Kate Smith

Sometime during the morning they fit in Breakfast.

Before the afternoon milking the day is filled with feeding out silage, setting up fences, bringing in newly calved cows to the shed.

Spreading fertilizer.

We were a bit late leaving Kaitaia on Sunday afternoon, the winter sun was all ready dropping quite low. However here are a few shots of the drive through the “Mangamukas”.

Picture:Steve Smith

Picture:Kate Smith

Picture:Steve Smith

Picture:Steve Smith

It’s about 13kms through the Mangamuka range.

Picture:Kate Smith

As you get nearer to Kaikohe, Lake Omapere is on the West side of the road, but sun had all ready gone down.

Picture:Kate Smith

5.00 pm tonight. Heading out of Dargaville along River Road we spotted this beautiful rainbow on the other side of the Northern Wairoa River. Also gives you an idea of just how big this river is.

Picture: Kate SmithPicture:Kate Smith