Floods January 2011

Despite receiving 1500ml of rain in the last 6 weeks, including 600ml from Sunday 9th to Tuesday 11th January we are managing quite well - much better than people in other parts of Queensland. Because our farm is hilly we don't get any  flooding - all the water is running off & flooding other places! Just about the only milk being collected & taken for bottling in SEQ in the last few days has been from the 8 remaining farms on the Maleny plateau!

Our milker - Farmer Neil - has been flooded in since Sunday so Rob & I, our son Tim & one of our regular visitors, Jake, have had to do all the milking. Cows don't like torrential rain so it's been quite difficult. Luckily we haven't lost power & all the work we've done in the last couple of years with the Lake Baroon Catchment Care Group & SEQ Water to concrete around the dairy & harden laneways the cows don't have to walk through too much mud.

We've had 2 sets of twin calves born in the last week - Rob had to help with the delivery of one set (large brahmin crosses) in an absolute deluge. Rosie the pig is very unhappy - her pen is too muddy even for her & the goats are like drowned rats & won't come out of the shed even to eat!

Our thoughts are with everyone badly affected by this terrible weather

Anne

Thursday 13th January 2011 (the sun is shining now!!)

Cows on concrete walkway

Calves born January 2011

Lake Baroon spillway at 2 metres over

Wet muddy goats

Rosie in the mud