Sodden And Snowed In

I write this blog on a crisp, blue-sky winter’s day. Finally.

Here in the New England region, we often talk about how we have four distinct seasons. Too much of anything can become boring, so we love the variety. It also gives us some predictability in pasture management, stock performance etc.

This year has been a little different, however, with a wetter than usual winter. The result is the ground has remained sodden with little heat and below-average sunlight to dry it out. Then, last weekend, we received our biggest dump of snow in decades. The ground has gone from sodden to saturated. It has been interesting to see the creeks flood and the dams overflow as the snow melts.

Saumarez Creek following rain and snowmelt. For scale, the bridge has a span of 28 metres.

These conditions are wreaking some havoc when it comes to conducting paddock inspections. We can get around most areas of all properties, but there remain occasional boggy obstacles that even the property owners have not seen before. The 6-seat side-by-side buggy has been invaluable this season, getting across country that would otherwise be inaccessible.

Back to the seasons. The days are getting longer, and with spring only three weeks away, the ground will start to dry up. And then, surely, we will be in for a decent spring; albeit with an increased, but manageable, risk of hypomagnesemia issues and the like.

If you are wanting to inspect properties, it will be easier. If you are considering marketing your property, spring conditions will help with the presentation.

On behalf of all my vendors, I thank those of you who have had inspections delayed for your patience. What has been a frustrating period will morph into a great opportunity to view what we consider to be some of the best grazing country and lifestyle properties Australia has to offer.

Watch this space for new and exciting opportunities.

Best regards,

Graham MacDougall
MacDougall Rural Property
0412 220 302