Keep an eye on the state of your troughs and always make sure that your stock has ample water.

It is finally here: summer has indeed arrived.  Aaaah yes - the sun, the heat, watering the roses in the early evening. 

Where water management is concerned good planning is the most important ingredient – well after water itself. This is especially so if you are on tank water. Keep a close eye on your levels and find out who delivers water locally – just in case. 

Every year animals are left to suffer from thirst and heat with insufficient water and shade. Now is the time to check your troughs.  If you have already done so – well done, now check them again. Are they leaking? What is the water like? Don’t worry if it isn’t about to win a medal for purity, but if you would rather not come within two feet of it, what makes you think your animals will want to? 

Remember to check what your pasture is like and check your back up feed – you should have some in stock from winter. As with water, it will be a sellers market if you need to buy it in now.  Make sure you are rotating your stock and make decisions sooner rather than later if you think you need to sell some off.

If you are planning to go away on holiday you must find someone to act as a caretaker and critter carer. It would be ideal if they can live in but it’s more important they be responsible and reliable. Even if they have good farming knowledge, make sure you set aside time to spend with them and go over your block and stock so they are aware of what to keep a close eye on. 

If they do not have a lot of farming experience, be sure they understand the importance of shutting gates, especially around the house section – you don’t want to come home to trampled rose bed or a dead animal that has managed to get to the oleander. Be sure to leave a list of contact numbers for emergencies starting with your own contact details and followed closely by those of your vet.

Don’t forget the housepets – dogs and cats will need to be part of the caretaker’s routine if you are not putting them in boarding kennels.  And make sure you do the proper introductions.  If you have spent months teaching Fido to be the best guard dog in a ten mile radius, you can hardly complain if he lives up to expectations and won’t let your caretaker out of the car.  

Even if you have a caretaker, get your neighbours to keep an eye on the property. They are used to seeing it on a daily basis and will be more likely to notice something amiss.

If you are staying home, take advantage of the lovely weather and get on with some summer chores. Fences, hedges, waterways all benefit from some close attention in summer. It’s a great idea to get a contractor in who can at the very least give you good advice and get you started. Be sure to book contractors early – this is often a busy time for them.  

When it comes to hedges, waterways, fences or anything else that falls on a boundary, talk to your neighbours. No contractor wants to be caught between feuding neighbours and often simple communication is all you need to avoid a confrontation.

Have a tidy up – especially if a contractor is coming in. Giving a contractor a hazard free paddock to work in is a good start to a relationship you will probably want to nurture. And no it is not a good or fun idea to follow along behind, watching the fascinating piece of equipment at work. You do not want to find your name or that of your children on the ACC Farm Accidents list.