Farm Life: Remnants of Oswald

We have survived the storm of cyclone Oswald. The surrounding areas of the Sunshine Coast Hinterland are in chaos. Today I am finally sitting in a Library with power. I am charging my phone, computer and internet devices to get my work done when I go back home. This will be published as soon as I find internet or get home.

On Saturday night the start of the cyclone woke me from my sleep with howling winds and rain that fell with such force. Sunday morning we woke to sideways rain and wind that pushed you along as you took a step. A few puddles of water on the in-side of the shed. The rain gauge overflowed and within three hours (6-9am) we had 95mm of rain. We took down the shade cloth from our garden, checked on out guineas and cleared all the drains and checked where all the rain was coming from to create a fierce river running in our back yard.

I am lucky, compared to many people around us in the hinterland. Today my work has been cancelled because I can’t get there and I don’t know if it is still there. My fingers are crossed that the market farm is still functioning and has not been washed away. Later this week I will be featuring my boss apart of the new series of posts about local farmers for you to see. With hopefully an update on his farm and when he his getting back to business.

With many phones and internet connections not working communications are slurred on the coast. No power has sent people crazy, with only a few people in our neighbourhood sharing a generator I got to charge my phone yesterday for 15min. Here in Maleny they have just got power back on early this morning. As I sit here typing away and slightly eves dropping on conversations. The local IGA lost power from its generator and now throwing out all their food along with many other business in the main street, who did not have generators. Montville’s main street has power back on. While down in Palmwoods the closest real town to us they still don’t have power like us and if we are lucky it may happen today though it was said maybe on Wednesday or Thursday we will have power. The pub was even closed on Sunday! Yesterday (Monday) it was the only place to buy ice in town, along with stocking up the beer esky.

People here in the library are all very happy that they have power yet still complain that it is such an inconvenience. People like to whine about what they don’t have. Well, my heart is going out to people who have businesses affected, like my boss for example if he had the rainfall like I did all the seeds that I planted out may have been washed down stream. Farmers who have lost cattle or fields of crops ruined – not good. These people are the backbones of our survival if we don’t have food then we would all starve. So going without power is nothing really to losing your life.

We have recorded over 670mm of rain since Thursday. Today (Tuesday) the rain has stopped, the sky is blue and the humidity is still at 100%, most likely it will rain again this afternoon. After the dry of the last six months at least my paddock is green, I might get to mow my grass soon, which we have not done since august last year.

My ruined garden, time to turn the soil and start again.

Were you affected by the remnants of Oswald? Share with me a story of support that needs to go to local farmers you know?