Rural Notebook | City dollars increasing the competition when farms hit the market

Equity levels of existing farm businesses are providing leverage for operators to grow their business but every transaction (especially livestock) involves some pretty large financial peaks.

Some city traders seem to be awash with cash funds and farmers need big hearts to compete in buying more land.

AN accident in a side-by-side farm utility vehicle took a farmer's life on a Victorian property last week.

The driver was killed when he and his passenger were thrown out of the vehicle and pinned under its roof. Neither wore a seatbelt.

Users of all types of motorbikes and buggies are urged to take extra care on farms during the holidays.

Please enjoy every minute in a once in a lifetime season and take extra care of our Aussie youngsters.

AS I write this piece on Sunday afternoon we have measured 35 millimetres of solid rain that must all run off as the soils are water-logged.

A lot of rural jobs are on hold as silos, sheds and a lot of fencing jobs are not able to be erected because of boggy access tracks.

After so many mongrel seasons when every drop of rain was precious, no farmer would ever complain about wet conditions but the growers of oilseed and cereal crops must be hoping for a month's dry weather to get harvest completed.

ANDREW Bickford from Elders tells us that the last stock sales at Central Tablelands Livestock Exchange (CTLX) for the year are:

The first sales for 2022 will be:

Thank you, Andrew.

THE work of SES and Rural Fire Service volunteers has been highly valued during the flood emergency.

Ordinary people doing extra ordinary jobs when "floods are at their height" are a huge resource as they give their time and their talents to help the community.

Not long ago these same volunteers put in lots of weeks helping victims of raging bushfires. Their efforts must never be forgotten.

BEFORE we vote for our choices in local government elections on December 4 we could ponder this scenario:

If the state minister were to appoint our mayor and four councillors and we voted for the other four councillors, would we simply rock up on polling day and smile?

This is the procedure for a minority being elected to some state government boards and trustees.

The voices of National Party members may be very soft as they aren't heard on the matters. Perhaps the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party could be more strident.

SOCIAL media is showing us how to conduct a councillors campaign and also how not to conduct one.

To personally attack those in elected positions doesn't seem to be the Australian way, especially when most of these people may be re-elected.

My time in public life is just a memory but I still feel that a multi-storey car park on a section of hospital park should be a "thinking man's" council policy.

With both federal and state ministers being our local members we shouldn't have our family and friends struggling up long, steep hills to their local hospital.

Surely we can do better.

THE easiest job in Bathurst must surely be to sit on the couch and criticise our local councillors, mayor and every member of staff.

As we roll along to voting day perhaps it is a good time to thank all of the above for placing the beautiful Christmas tree on Kings Parade.

From little children to tired old couples, the Christmas tree is a symbol of all that's good in our peaceful country.

Thank you Mr Mayor and everyone involved. The colourful stars on the windows of the civic centre make us all love Christmas in Bathurst.

AS we move closer to the Christmas recess, Australian wool sales have exhibited increases in all merino sectors over the past week.

Week 20 saw actual offering of 41,363 bales nationwide with a 91 per cent clearance rate.

The EMI moved up 5ac/kg to 1324ac/kg despite the strengthening USD rate.

All buyers were active with wool being in demand from China, Italy, Europe and India, in particular.

There are only four more weeks until the traditional three-week Christmas holiday and this, hopefully, will auger well for the consistent demand that we have been searching for in recent times.

Supply of fresh wools may also be affected as the wet weather continues to hamper shearing and some clips that have been completed await to be bought into to store, however, rain and road conditions may be causing delays in doing so.

Week 21 sees an early estimated offering of 41,180 bales with all Australian centres selling.

Richard Butcher, Nutrien Wool

DAD says that if he dies and goes straight to Hell it could take him weeks to realise that he's there. It'll probably be just like home.

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THE farmer's wife complained that the plane had been on the tarmac for 90 minutes. She was told: "The pilot could hear a grinding sound in one engine so we're looking for another pilot who won't be able to hear it."

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DURING religion lessons at school the teacher asked: "Where do boys and girls go if they indulge in sinful behaviour?" A timid boy answered: "I think they go do down behind the bike sheds."