A NEW DIRECTION FOR THE OLD RAM

Bruce

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Got plenty when I was there last month Ridge!!

$5/gallon for water? :th My 23 chickens are drinking a gallon a day. I don't see how anyone could raise sheep with water costing that much. And it must be spit baths for the humans. I sure hope you get rain soon.
 

The Old Ram-Australia

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G'day and thank you for your reply's.Hi Bay, we store 30,000 gals when all the tanks are full,normal rain is 300/500 ml per year.This year will be since i cannot remember when we last purchased water it must be between 30/40 years ago.

Hi Bruce,we have two options for water at the present,the "free" water comes from the town supply and we can get about 250 gals per day,but it costs about a$10..00 in fuel to get it and bring it home,but the quality is "terrible" because of the smoke,ash and pollutants there is so much Chlorine in it that it must be "aired" for a few days before use on the stock. The other option is the 2000 gal for A$400 will come from a "tested bore",i am told that the guy that owns it has been drinking it for 20 years so it should be OK.

Hi Ridge,when it finally "rains" and we go back onto grass feeding things should work out.The prime supply time is the end of Ramadan,and the market i think will be for any size,weight and age will be in demand.Like many cultures who rely on trading they can be hard bargainer's,but if you have the "right" goods and supply is tight you have the "whip hand", but only time and experience will determine the outcome.In spite of the drought many of our ewe flock are showing and i would not be surprised to get a substantial lambing in Jan and if it rains we will have some very nice lines for sale next year.(well here's hoping anyway).....T.O.R.
 

Baymule

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We live in an area of abundant water. There is water 30' down on our place, however the best water is 600' down. If all we wanted was water for livestock, a shallow well would do it. There are lots of springs in this area, they feed the creeks. In wet weather, there are "seeps" on our land, water oozes from the ground, it makes enough to have running water in a gully that goes across our land. It dries up when the rains stop.
 

The Old Ram-Australia

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We have on our place a number of what are usually very reliable springs,but this "dry spell" has gone on foe so long now they are exhausted it seems and i am loath to start digging with "Henry" lest i seal them up and lose them altogether .I did explore one of them and at the end of the reach i did find what seemed to be a very clean source,which i may be able to "pipe" at a later date when the flow is restored.

I took a couple of interesting pic's today of one of our paddocks which we can "chat" about next time i have some time at my disposal.

The fire to the east picked up again today,it was reported they were doing some "back-burning" in advance of some tough weather later this week,but the winds gusted above 50 kms an hour and i think things got a little out of hand(have a few pic's of that also to post next time)......T.O.R.
 

Bruce

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In wet weather, there are "seeps" on our land, water oozes from the ground, it makes enough to have running water in a gully that goes across our land. It dries up when the rains stop.
Sounds like what I have just south of the pond behind the barn. Makes for quite a mushy area though not large. I'm pondering digging a large hole and trench, filling the hole with stone and pipe from there to the pond.
 

The Old Ram-Australia

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Hi Bruce, that sounds like it could work.How about a pic of the pond and the wet section .How far from the wet spot to the pond?Care must be taken in the wet spot so as not to seal it up.Can you tell from the surface which direction the water flows?...T.O.R.
 

Bruce

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Screen Shot 2019-01-28 at 3.03.55 PM.png


The wet spot is basically where a line from the gate on the left running to the little barn would intersect with a line running along the right side of the pond. When there is enough "wet" a small trickle will form on the pond side of that gray rectangle area and make its way to the pond. That area has always been squishy, I don't think it had a path to the pond. It is weird as there is no obvious "this is where the water comes up" spot, Before I dug the pond out I don't recall seeing this rivulet so I likely compressed the ground enough to make a slight downhill slope. This Google image is from before I dug it out, it is now the same shape just deeper. All that green at the bottom surrounded by brown is algae and grasses.

Lots of clay here, not sure if digging a hole in it and filling with stone would seal it up, that wouldn't gain me much would it! There is a piece of bent pipe sticking out of the ground about a foot, doesn't seem to be connected to anything, I can turn it around. I'm wondering if someone in the past drained the area and someone else managed to break the pipe and removed most of it.
 

The Old Ram-Australia

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OK, do you have an auger? (hand one preferably)The wider the better, they are capable of digging a 2 ft hole usually.In the center of the wet spot "drill a hole" leave it overnight and see if it fills with water,take a glass jar full and let it stand overnight.any sediment,off smells or discoloration?Perhaps your local Peale could test it for you.Test the flow with a little pump,it is possible you could set up a siphon using a narrow plastic pipe which equals the re-fill rate....T.O.R.
 

Bruce

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I have a nice 8" (that is 20.3 cm for you people who rightly tossed the old system way back) auger for the 3 point hitch on my tractor. Haven't used it yet, that could be a good first use since I need to practice drilling straight holes before I go putting in fence posts. I wonder how far down I would get before hitting rock. Way too much of that here.
 

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