Old-timers remember the good seasonal years that occurred before 1978 when opening rains during late March/early April set producers up for a long tablelands winter.

Last weekend's falls ranged between 50 and 160 millimetres and this came just as much of our district had begun to look pretty dry and dusty.

The wave of flystrike will continue and withhold (for wool) periods are causing concern.

The implication for WHS of industry workers and the probable chemical residues for wool processors in far off countries are much more serious at present than in earlier times.

Adding to the problem is the fact that many of our trusted fly control chemicals don't appear to be giving the results that are hoped for.

Your rural supplier can provide valuable advice on which products his long-time sheep producers are using.

FOLLOWING the great rain of last weekend, we hope to see useful rises in major dam storages in NSW.

A quick check on storages at March 1 tells us: Oberon Dam 33 per cent; Pindari 13pc; Windamere 29pc; Wyangala 59pc; Carcoar 30pc and Burrinjuck 62pc.

Most coastal storages are at overflow levels, but smaller farm dams in our district are below half full as abundant grass cover has prevented a lot of run-off from stormy rain.

A brave farmer would be looking towards a pretty sound winter 2021, but he must never discard his prayer beads.

Six months can be a very long time for a farming family.

OTHER RECENT RURAL NOTEBOOK COLUMNS:

RURAL contractors of all types are reporting that they have never been as busy as they are this year.

Fencers, shed and silo builders, water and irrigation systems, cattle jobs and sheep scanners are all fully booked and the hay makers and cropping contractors are struggling to keep up.

As our nation's economy recovers from the pandemic, it is obvious that agriculture is playing its part.

For the rural workers and contractors, reliability will always be their number one requirement; competitive pricing and work quality will ensure their future business.

There are a lot of new owners in our Central Tablelands and they will be looking to establish long-term business relationships.

HAPPY 89th birthday to one of Bathurst's best shearers from days that are gone.

On the occasion, Mark Ryan told me that as a young man, he and the late Reg Nightingale from Rockley took about 100 horses in a mob from Mildura at Georges Plains to Bathurst saleyards to be sold at a regular horse auction.

The owner of the mob was a regular horse dealer and he had people at all of the side roads to prevent straying.

Regular horse sales were held at the old Bathurst saleyards until the 1960s and horses ranged from draught horses and stock horses to bomb-proof kids' ponies.

One hundred horses being driven in a mob along the Vale Road seems impossible at the present time.

HAPPY 90th birthday yesterday, March 17, to long-time Rockley grazier Lindsay Larnach, who now lives in retirement in Bathurst.

Lindsay and his wife Anne conducted the Oaklands property near Rockley and raised their family there.

He was a top flight seam bowler in South Bathurst first grade cricket teams in the 1950/60s and was noted for his good humour and sportsmanship.

REPORTS of rapidly increasing mice numbers in the Bathurst, Orange area are causing a shortage of mouse traps and prepared bait.

We must be careful when using baits as household pets can be quickly poisoned.

Mice in plague proportions are causing serious damage in cereal hay stacks and sown crops in districts to our west and north west and we hope that cooler, wetter days will bring an end to the problem.

THE news that an AWI (Australian Wool Innovation)-funded sire evaluation trial will be conducted on a property near Newbridge will add interest to the merino breeding industry in central NSW.

There is generally a $3000 entry fee for studs to have a ram of their choice included in a trial and progressive studs seem to have several different young rams included in separate trials.

An assessment of a stud's rams across several trials will be needed before being critical or praising of that stud's genetics.

These trials have been for registered studs only and South Australian and Victorian trials rely heavily on volunteer labour to do the dog's body jobs on busy operational days.

This should be a great opportunity for local Bathurst Merino Association (BMA) members to assist the trail organisers and it gives BMA members an insight into why the association was formed some three decades ago.

THE predicted landslide West Australian state election result has given the sitting Labor government a lower house majority of probably 52 seats to five and almost wiped out the state Liberal Party.

Premier McGowan has achieved control of the Legislative Council Upper House as well with what looks like a 17-14 majority.

The Labor government has set the stage for some interesting contests in next year's federal election in the state and PM Morrison's strong leadership in Canberra may be genuinely tested.

WEEK 37 saw a week of stability in the Australian merino wool market.

By the end of the week, the Eastern Market Indicator had closed only 1ac lower than the week before at 1309ac/kg and down 0.67 per cent in USD terms.

Large volumes are being offered for sale and the trade continues to take this supply.

We are now starting to see a larger influx of higher VM wools, and also coloured and cotty wools.

Obviously, this reflects the season we have been experiencing.

Crossbreds continue to really struggle, and we saw them drop up to 30ac/kg for the week.

Testing numbers show a 4.9pc drop in wool tested to this point compared with the same period last year.

This would lead you to think that fresh wool production is down.

There will be 53,000 bales offered for sale in week 38 compared with 42,000 bales in the same sale last year as wool that has been on "hold" comes on to the market.

THE doctor asked George about his healthy habits.

"I never drank, smoked or ran around with loose women," George said. "I don't eat sugar, chocolate or greasy takeaways, and in August I'll celebrate my 80th birthday."

"How?" the wise doctor asked.

***

AFTER 45 years of marriage, dad was widowed and lonely and consulted a psychic.

"Yes, my husband, it's me; I'm peaceful and happy and it's much better than my life on earth with you," the widow confided.

"Heaven must be a wonderful place," dad said.

The widow whispered back: "Who said I'm in Heaven, my husband."

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content: