Wednesday, July 1

Wednesday is a crazy time of the week, it's the day the paper goes for print. Lots of pressure and changes, all time-sensitive!

The walking is going well, my tendons in my hips are getting better, cycling has been a big help and the physio Lucas!

I headed out to Moulamein after the paper was sent off, the first port of call Robert Glenn.
Robert and Alison Glenn farm on the Edward river east of Moulamein. I have always admired Robert and Alison's approach to farming and the certainly look at all options to remain viable and farming holistically. It was a frenzy of activity at the Glenn's. A recent supplementary water announcement has caught most farmer off guard. Supplementary water is usually triggered with big rain events as a flood mitigation tool, know seems to know why or where this event came from.

I jumped in the ute with Robert to show a spreader truck where he had to spread fertilizer. To limit risk, not all the fertilizer requirement were sown with the crop. If you don't get a water allocation the crop will generally die off and then be used for sheep feed. With water now present the crop will need more fertilizer to grow into a full crop.

Robert shares with me the challenges of finding staff now and also the impacts of basin plan policy around his farm and on their business. I find it very sad that our best farmers are the cannon fodder for political games.

After Roberts interview, I head to Peter Redfearn's. Peter was a neighbour of our family farm. Peter is a passionate bird lover, Peter even constructed a cat-proof breeding area and bred the endangered bush stone curlew. He has such a passion for his land and a common-sense approach, I found Peter welding in the sheep yards, the list of jobs a farmer must do is never-ending. He tells me of a compliance inspector coming tomorrow from Gippsland, the work never stops even if you are not making money.

I found today really tough, really heartbreaking. People I respect and admire seemingly broken, forgotten about, collateral damage.

  Today’s training total: 7km
Mental Health: 9/10
Blessing: Millions, so many things to be thankful for but also a heavy heart.....