“I’m not complaining about where I am and I’m not complaining necessarily about having dry periods, it’s just a matter of dealing with them.” Jim Kuerschner

“It’s certainly been the worst period of my farming career. I found it challenging to know what the right decision to make is and the nagging doubt that anything will ever go back to normal again.” Sam Kuerschner

In this episode you get different perspectives of drought from two farming generations.

Father and son Jim and Sam Kuerschner run a sheep and cropping operation at Blackrock near Orroroo in the state’s upper north.

Jim has farmed the generational property all of his life and he says this has been the toughest drought he’s ever experienced.

Despite it being the worst drought in their living memory, strategies like containment feeding were implemented to help them maintain most of their sheep flock.

It’s an interesting look into how different generations practically and mentally approach drought and the coping mechanisms they use to get through it.

This podcast is supported by the Northern and Yorke Landscape Board, through funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund and National Landcare Program.

Links:

Northern and Yorke Landscape Board - https://www.landscape.sa.gov.au/ny

Landcare: https://landcareaustralia.org.au/

Future Drought Fund - https://www.awe.gov.au/agriculture-land/farm-food-drought/drought/future-drought-fund

Talking Livestock - https://www.facebook.com/talkinglivestock/