Brian's pond is flooding with all the rain.

Gosh can you believe we are over half way through the year already?  And what a strange  time of year it’s shaping up to be  – so different to the previous 14 years on my property.

The weather we are currently experiencing normally comes later in the season. Whether you believe in global warming or not – and I personally think it is a natural phenomena rather than a man made one but that’s just my opinion and for another column – there is certainly some strange weather  happening. 

We have had daffodils and jonquils for the past two weeks. The first few weren’t fully formed when they came out but the more recent ones are splendid blooms indeed. I certainly don’t remember them being out this early before. 

Nor do I remember having this amount of rain this early either – and I don’t think that’s entirely due to my having a senior moment.  Strange too is the number of severe frosts we have been having. 

I remember one year we did have quite a few frosts but never as severe as the ones we have had this season.  Nor did they come right up the hill on to the front lawn like this year’s ones have. 

In the past we have been protected by being slightly higher than the rest of the property – but not this year. Even the duck ponds have been flooding – and that has only happened once or twice before. It’s all very strange and there is a  definite change in the weather patterns.

Brian Neben publishes Rural Living, and during the weekends is an avid lifestyle farmer.

We are lucky however to have soil which drains well so our pasture is reasonably good. Last week I harrowed our large paddock with our jeep – and it was great to not get bogged down at all. 

The hens are on the go-slow – possibly they are also disconcerted by the odd weather. I am certainly hoping warmer weather and sunlight will get egg production back up. 

Down at the duck pond, I think the Grey Teals may be starting to build nests – and again this is early (by my reckoning at any rate). 

Now I must point out that I am basing my conclusion not on scientific knowledge but on observation – I recently saw one of them flying into the nesting box and when I feed them there is one male which sits on the water  in front of a nesting box, to be joined by the female of the pair only when I move away. I suppose time will tell.

In the meantime my colt ElSuDoKu is doing well –  he certainly is a fine looking chap. 

See you next month.