potatoes

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Stu Jennings
Hello again,
It’s hard to believe that it is nearly Christmas.
Sounds like spring has been a mixed bag for growers across the
country. I know October was one of the driest we've seen in our
part of the world – at least in my relatively short time on the farm.
Hopefully the rain falls a bit during summer and things turn around.
We are still better off than some places that haven't seen consistent
rain in years, so I hope the recent rain brought some relief to those
areas that had been missing out and that good falls are not far away
for everyone.
Picking the weather can be tough as a farmer, and the guys who
get paid to do it don't seem to get it right as often as I’d like them to
either! Farming in general can be like trying to predict the weather
– a bit hit and miss. Apart from actually guessing what the weather
might do, every year we put in our crops full of optimism, with all
the ingredients that years of experience and research have taught
us to achieve an outcome. Most of the time it works, but on the
odd occasion, Mother Nature steps in and sends a heat wave, or
200mm of rain, or maybe a virus sweeps into an area.
At the end of the day, we gamble on everything we do – and
hopefully you win more times than you lose. At times it can be a bit
overwhelming, but we push on to feed the world as best we can.
There always seems to be new information being delivered that helps to
combat the challenges we face, including Mother Nature. A great way to
hear about the latest information, technology and tools is to get along to
the grower meetings that are held in your area – or of course once a year
at the National Horticulture Convention. Sharing our experiences as an
industry helps to drive improvements and participating in these meetings
allows you to learn what is new and contribute to future change.
Participation at these meetings is increasing as more growers realise that
they provide a significant benefit. I challenge all YPP – and OPP – to
keep an eye and ear out for any opportunities to join in and to get along
to the next one near you. You may be pleasantly surprised.
As we sign off on 2015, I hope everyone has a safe and happy Christmas
and that the next year is good to all of us. Take time with your family and
friends in the days and months ahead. Be grateful for the good times and
keep the faith when things are tough – and remember, if you think you
have nothing to be grateful for, check your pulse!
Cheers,
Stu
www.youngpotatopeople.com.au
@youngpotatopeps
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