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As usual our farm and store staff had a well-earned long rest from before Christmas to well into January. That meant that boss and son had to turn over the Everlastings heads, which were spread in the tunnels to dry. Unfortunately we did not think to take photos. They also had to cope with unseasonal rain and water runoff in between some of the hottest December days when we recorded up to 35 °C and more. The weather really is more extreme!
Normally our main rain season is from about April to August, but this year it continued right through into November and December. The result was that the farm was a riot of colour with the most prolific everlastings, pincushions and heaths that we have had for years. We certainly never have seen so many E028 Everlastings on the mountain as this last December. The mountains surrounding us were also covered. To the untrained eye and from a distance it looked like big sandy patches!
The late rains have resulted in some of the crops are earlier than normal, which is perhaps just as well because life is quite difficult here with power cuts. At least the ambient temperature is still good for drying. Some of you may have seen reports on our troubles on CNN. There just isn't enough electricity to go around, for various reasons: the international coal price, lack of trained maintenance personnel and government directives to our electricity utility to provide power for lights and cooking for poorer households and shack dwellers who relied heavily on candles and paraffin, without making provision for expansion. There is a run on generators! We have obtained two small ones to keep us going until such time as our big one arrives next month. By the time the colder days arrive, we will be able to keep our dye baths, dryer fans and office going! Hopefully the country will not run out of diesel!
Due to good demand we are upgrading our dyeing facility with new Stainless steel baths and a boiler to improve productivity and colour consistency by heating up the dye mixture faster and accurately maintaining the required temperature. Currently the dye baths are electrically heated and by changing to steam we will reduce our reliance on electricity and be able to keep production on track.
The huge area which burnt down 3 years ago which resulted in a shortage of certain products, has recovered well and the first new Salignum branches and other products that were in short supply are being harvested. If all goes well in another year or two the area will be back to normal. It was tough on the farmers who have been through really hard times.
In general the crop quality is very good for this time of the year due to the wetter than normal summer which bodes well for us to supply good quality material for the coming season. Fortunately there also have been no major fires!
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