Rain, Farmers and discredited theories

The rain it falleth on the just and on the unjust fella

But more upon the just, because the unjust stole the just’s umbrella

A touchy subject, I know, but it has been raining for the last few days here. I mention this, not because I wish irritate people, but because this is most unusual for us to have so much rain in such a short space of time. Yes, in the bottom area of the State – Adelaide and the South East, where the farming and the vineyards are located, it rains a fair bit. The soil down there is green,  lush and fertile. Up here it’s reddish, dry (not today though) and not all that productive.  The further north you go the less productive the land becomes and the topsoil is presently somewhere out at the bottom of the Great Australian Bight  ( dust storms) as a result of  a discredited theory that was common in the 19th Century – “Rain Follows the Plough”. By the early years of the 20th Century what had been the Golden North, became a dustbowl – just like States in the USA where the same theory was applied. The area, stripped of all native vegetation, never recovered. It is a vast area dotted by ruins and  broken dreams. In one area we are still living with the effects of that period when one Goat farmer(?) could no longer keep his goats nor could he sell them, so he simply broke down the fences and let them go. Can you imagine what damage they have done to the soil of the ranges and the native wildlife since?

The babies have been cuddled up inside all of today. It’s been cold and wet outside and only an idiot – like daddy – would be working in the garden in this weather , even if he is under cover. I have just watched the news and some of the small communities further north have had more rain in the last three days than they have had in the last 25 years – interesting. Perhaps there is hope for us yet..

I was working in the   rock garden area under the porch and decided that I would freshen it all up by digging part of the centre out and put in a large(ish) ceramic pot, fill it with blood and bone, soil improver and  potting soil. It’s a smallish area and it could do with something to brighten it up. Particularly now that I am about to order the  alsynite for the pergola roofing. In that area I am going to plant a rose bush. The surrounding area I will cover in  blonde coloured pine with the inner section in red coloured pine chips. It might work and it might not – wont know until I do it I suppose.