It has been a trying time for farmers in the immediate area and the Easern Cape as a whole. The rainfall pattern has been sporadic and saw September with no rain and October with 16.5mm. November started off equally poorly, with a limited amount of patchy rainfall during the first two weeks. Things have now changed, with significant amounts of rainfall in the last 10 days 25mm then 41mm - bringing the November total to 91mm. December started well 34mm so far. The dams are filling nicely, the grass is greening up and we no longer have to provide supplementary feed for the livestock. Notwithstanding the miserable spring weather, the 10 year moving average rainfall of 542mm is the highest it has ever been in the 100 year history of rainfall records available. Assuming that December meets expectations, the average could well reach 550mm. This would mean that the average rainfall has improved by over 100mm in the last 10 years
We have been fortunate to escape any veld fires so far. The are serious hazards, as they are usually the result of lightening strikes, are unpredictable and difficult to control and put out. The main reason being is that fires are a natural part of the ecological cycle, and the vegetation has evolved to incorporate fire as part of its lifecycle. Controlled burning of the veld is therefore a part of good veld management, although it is usually done with fear and trepidation by most farmers as the weather conditions, specifically wind, are very unpredictable in the area.
There have been two fires on neighbouring farms; luckily they were put out quickly with minor damage.
