Davsav
This thread which was after a farmer set up to bring awareness to all Australians into the plight of our farmers.

What am I going to do about it? Well I am not going to pretend that a prayer is going to fix the problem thats for sure.

My name is Wendy Lewthwaite. I am trying to assist by reopening abattoirs throughout Australia.

The simply fact is if we want to ask the Government to faze out live exports we must have an alternative.

Considering that most farmers cant grow crops anymore those jobs in regional areas will come in handy for people to feed their familys.

I also work with RSPCA QLD to bring about changes to improve animal welfare.

Now the suggestion of each school adopting a farm seems like a good one.

Perhaps you might put your ideas up as to what you could do to help.

It will take many hands and hearts to help the farmers and animals.

hi all,

has anybody ever thought of having their own dam, and or
saved enormous tanks of water.... ?
or is there a similar solution

I dont know much about farming, but I just wondered....?

those grey water house tanks for suburbs are cool
JHH

Regional/rural properties have tanks to store rainwater; they may have dams, bores or rivers for their water supply as well.

If it doesn’t rain, or the rivers don’t flow – there is NO water – not even to flush the toilet, brush your teeth or water your pot plant – or irrigate/water YOUR food source.

The average water consumption in the city is ~ 240 litres per person per day.

The average water consumption in regional OZ is ~ 115 litres per person per day.

The average water consumption in rural OZ is ~ 50 litres per person per day, if you’re lucky.

JHH, every suburban house should have a rainwater tank – there are issues, but yeah, it’s cool.

In the cities, all reticulated water is treated to drinking water standards, and then you pour it down the sewers after the majority of it is used for industrial processes.

In the cities, water is cheap.

In the country, water is gold.

When carrots cost $20/kg because the OZ carrot farmer no longer exists and we have to import carrots from Canada (think of all the GHG emissions per kilo) – then will city people start to understand the gravity of the situation?

We have never faced such a complex problem on such a large scale as climate change. The physical, social, financial and environmental effects of climate change are becoming more evident everyday – and it will affect everybody.

We need real leaders with a real vision – you can do something about it. A prayer might help, but so too might be timely strategies and policies.

JHH – in the mean time, you can help, even if it’s finding out or learning more about farming – it will change your life.

thank you dav for the info

I meant storing water in the rain or flood times ?
and or a dam for shared big properties....to be filled in flood times..

re buying australian, I check....
I get the bananas marked australia.... much nicer thank you...
and I check all the others too....

our products are great, and the quality is extremely high,
I have found.... from everything from cheeses, to jams and honeys..

I wonder how much and if properties can make their own dams...?

thanks for the info

JHH

JHH
Farmers do that now; especially the very big farms with the very big money, but certainly not enough as they would like – because they need a lot of water and even lots more money.

Understand this though; the vast majority of farmers can’t do this because they are struggling to survive, they do not have the huge resources or capital behind them – and even if they did, they probably wouldn’t get the return on investment that they deserve.

Australia is the 2nd driest continent on the planet (Antarctica is drier because its water is locked up as ice). As the planet warms, more water is evaporated and falls as rain – but it is not falling where we need it, especially here in Australia. The climate is changing to a wetter north and much drier everywhere else.

Can we store, pipe or channel this flooding water in northern Australia? Yes, but the costs in dollars are huge and at the moment, not practical or indeed justifiable – this may change in the future.

We may have to shift our farming practices to where the water is – but this is very costly and disruptive – it would take many decades. We have to do something in the mean time, adapt at the local level with a view to adapting at the national level.

This is why negotiations are being had between State & Federal governments over a national water strategy – better late than never.

We also have to think again about the type of water intensive farms we do have, e.g. cotton – do we really need this industry now and if we do, can we do it better?

It has been suggested that we (individuals or groups) adopt a farm, this is a very good idea. Maybe Wendy or others can help in establishing this concept – particularly for people or groups living in the cities.
Cheers

JHH and Davsav

Happy to hear suggestions kicking off the Adopt a Farm School progect.
However- I would be loathed to have "any organisation" taking "one cent" in admin costs.
Perhaps a letter to Australia All over requesting they promote this idea.
What might work is if everybody could write out a list of farmers in need in their areas.
Later we could invite the kids of that school to camp out a couple of nights on the farm they helped save.
That was first suggested by my Sister Jan.

The Aussie helpers are the ONLY ones who are providing such a service for farmers and animals so I think we should all support them. They asked the Churches to help with stock feed and got knocked back.
http://www.aussiehelpers.org.au/
The Australian people have ALL said they are happy to pay more IF its going to the farmers.
If you have any ideas on how we can set this up so one hundred percent goes to farmers and animals I would be most grateful.

We would do as much as possible at no charge but it would take more than us.

JHH. Regarding water we need to re think our whole farming style.

I have just left a man who knows how to get water "and plenty" out of trees[especially mangroves etc] He spent half his life in ME and other places supplier water. [ I mean without power without anything!.
I hope to meet with this man next week and be able to share some of his amazing knowledge with you.
In the mean time you might like to view this>

http://www.halakindmeats.com/aussiehero.html

What farmers need is food and water for stock. Church Based organisations do not and tell us they can not provide this.
I would strongly urge you buy hay and have it sent to the farms direct.
If a farmers animals survive - So does his family and Animals are Gods creatures just like us.

Less paid prayers more "practicle" help- like produce please lord.

NOBODY SHOULD EXPECT TO GET PAID OR TAKE A PERCENTAGE FOR ADMIN