Weed Resistance a Growing Problem

Sorry about the title of this blog because it looks like a pun but in fact, it is no such thing.

Many local farmers know only too well that there is a problem looming on the horizon relating to the increasing resistance of certain types of weeds to herbicidal treatment.  Leaving to one side for a moment the debates about alternative methods of control that are a little greener, many ordinary farmers are becoming worried about this phenomenon.

That’s why the recent announcements that Bayer in Germany have set up a big research lab to look at this will come as good news. It’s also interesting to see that numbers of top Aussie scientists have been seconded to work in Frankfurt to help the fight. for more detail visit http://www.whitestractors.com.au/blog/246-weed-resistance-a-growing-problem.html

Lawnmower Types - Pros and Cons

Looking for a lawnmower, but puzzled by what seems like an infinite variety of lawnmower types?
Well, here are a few pointers to help you understand and eventually select the one that's right for you.

Push - scissor action

These are those great usually steel mowers that you push along.

In terms of technology, they would have been familiar to our ancestors a century ago. As you push the mower along, a rotating blade turns along a rotating horizontal axis. It then simply cuts the grass in a scissor-type action.

Pros

Close control cutting. Many perfectionists swear by these mowers and say you can't get a better finish...Read More

Farming and Sun Health - Top Tips

For at least 30 years there has been fairly consistent communication of public health announcements and warnings about the dangers of over-exposure to the sun.

The dangers come from the very real physical issues associated with immediate over-exposure (i.e. the old term 'sunstroke') and the more insidious long-term cumulative effects of over-exposure that leads to skin damage and perhaps eventually cancer.

Although many sectors of the population are getting the message and changing behaviours, there's some suggestion that agricultural workers might not be. That's because being out all day over years may have toughened their skin leading to the impression that they're somehow 'immune'....Read More

Crime Rears its Head

 

Sad to say, the news recently has indicated an increasingly number of rural thefts and related criminal activities.

One farm over in Gunning had several hundred pregnant ewes stolen and there has been a spate of break-ins over a wide area.

Of course, it’s a myth that crime is restricted to the big cities and in the countryside we’ve always had the odd incident to contend with but the scale of recent thefts is alarming...Read More

Eating Fruit and Vegetables is now Non-Green

Just when you thought you’d seen everything by way of crazy news, along comes a US scientific study claiming to show that eating fruit and vegetables is bad for the planet.

Say what (as our US friends might say)?

Well, a group of scientists have apparently done a lot of calculations and have come to the rather strange conclusion that if you look at water consumption, energy use in harvesting, fertiliser making and lots of related activities, it takes more in greenhouse gasses to produce fruit and veg than meat. So, if you want to do your best for the planet then this group of scientists would argue that you should eat far less ‘healthy’ food and much more beef, chicken, pork and so on...Read More

New Year Resolutions

Well, the New Year is almost here (or just passed, depending upon when you’re reading this).

As usual, the team here have been exchanging ideas for their New Year resolutions and they range from the noble to the odd (not mentioning any names!). So, we thought we’d make a few similar recommendations for you, with a bit of an orientation towards agricultural machinery for sure!

1. Do more regular maintenance on your equipment. Maybe you do more than enough already but if it tends to get put on the back burner as a low-priority (we’ve all done it!) then change your ways. It’ll save you a lot of money in the medium term...Read More

Thought of the Month - Peace of Mind

 
Once upon a time, Buddha was walking from one town to another town with a few of his followers.
This was in the initial days. While they were travelling, they happened to pass a lake. They stopped there and Buddha told one of his disciples, “I am thirsty. Do get me some water from that lake there.”...Read More