We’ve been reading about how bad the drought has been up north – but I must say that for those of us in the Franklin district where I live, the current conditions are more severe than the drought two or three years back. 

Brian's trees are already dropping their leaves.

We have had no significant rain now for over two months.

We are now experiencing an early autumn and my 50 or so London Plane trees are already beginning to drop their leaves.  They’re dropping them at a far greater rate than in normal conditions and a month early: we don’t usually see them on the ground until late April.

Last year I had professional arborists come in and trim the trees by a third – thinking I would have a third less leaves to clean up. Of course it made the trees healthier and in fact this year I will have double the amount of leaves to rake up.  At least.

When conditions are normal I simply rake up the leaves and eventually burn them.  With the dry conditions I don’t dare light a fire of any variety so the pile is growing steadily bigger.  By the time I am able to burn it they will certainly be impressive.

Most of my neighbours rely on rainwater to fill their tanks and I really sympathise. For those who do not have acces to a bore or to alternative water sources it is proving a challenging time indeed. 

I am currently feeding hay to my steers – something I have never had to do at this time of year.

Hopefully by next month we will have had a decent downpour and the worst will be behind us.  Still, that is what living on a lifestyle block is all about and we all need to take the bad with the good and keep going.

See you next month.

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