DISAPPOINTING HARVEST

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19337, 29 May 1937, Page 13

DISAPPOINTING HARVEST

SEASON IN OTAGO CHANGE-OVER TO SHEEP Tho 1 !>•"!7 harvest, will he Ion" remembered in the Owaka Valley, states the Otago Times. It has established an unwelcome anil very discreditable record. Stooks have been standing now for eight weeks, and only a small proportion of them has been saved. Time and time again they have been almost ready, neighbourly arrangements have been made to lead-in, and then down would come the rain again, disappointing all hopes. _Thero will be no •bright oats threshed in Owaka this year. The other side of the picture, however, is more pleasant. It has been a great year for grass, and everybody has a stack or more of hay. .Most farmers have "fairly good turnips, and sonic have particularly good crops of swedes. A. few have suffered losses as a result of their crops having been attacked by clubroot. However, there should be no shortage of winter feed, and if prices keep up the outlook for the Gatlins district is encouraging. The cow is becoming a sideline, and the talk now is of Romneys and Southdowns, fat-lamb schedules, and tho price of wool. Things are indeed changing in this district. It is not ditlicult to recall the time when not more than live or six farmers kept any sheep at all, now everybody has them, and the general hope of the district is wool, lamb, and mutton.