So, the annual wheat harvest has started again and as Murphy’s Law would have it, so have the storms. Barely a spot for months and as soon as we kick the big green machine into gear, up come the threatening clouds to add a little more stress and urgency to the situation.
It’s not all doom and gloom and we are thankful that we at least have something to harvest, albeit a bit sad looking compared to the possibilities had there been a little more precipitation throughout the year.
Although tiring I think the boys love the “hustle and bustle” of getting the crop off, meeting the self-imposed deadlines and putting in long hours for a short time. Emma tells me she loves being on the header or tractor at night during the busy times of sowing or harvesting because (among other things) the twinkling lights in the paddocks of our neighbours make her feel part of an alternate community instead of isolation, in the middle of nowhere, late at night.
Also as luck (or Murphy) would have it, harvest arrived earlier than usual, so my best laid plans for keeping the diary free over the busiest time in a farmer’s calendar have gone awry and this little black duck is at risk of becoming the black sheep of the family. Luckily I have a couple of really good backstops in Jeff’s mum, Margie and Josh’s girlfriend, Roz. One has extensive experience in harvest havoc management, the other will learn quickly.
Just to digress on one of my tangents; did you know there is a website dedicated to the explanation and origins of Murphy’s Law? No? Well, there you go; you’ve learnt something new for the day!
My departure at this critical time was met with some concern, but generally the troops were quite pragmatic, although I don’t imagine I will want to repeat the same error in judgement next year. By then though I will be back to just being Tanya Cameron, partner in a mixed farming business, instead of gallivanting around the countryside as Tanya Cameron, State President of CWA of NSW.
I’ve enjoyed my time as the latter, but look forward to resuming my role as the former.
It’s good to get out of your comfort zone and test yourself – perhaps that’s part of what farmer’s enjoy about harvest; challenging and rewarding at the same time.
What will be your challenge for the coming year?
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