The Big Dry

This summer has been so dry.  Here we are on the home stretch of summer and the grass almost always dries off as can be seen in the photo below.

While the grass looks dead, it is only dormant, waiting for the cooler months and rainfall of Autumn to kick in when it will become green once more.  However this year has been one of the driest on record.

Is reminds be of the recent drought that lasted almost fifteen years.  As an indication of how dry it's been, the below photo is of a blackberry bush.

These prickly little guys are very tough, so for this one to die off indicates to me how dry the landscape is.

There is so much to consider in the design of the farm, the ways I need to harvest and retain water and store it in the soil for as long as possible.  At least for the moment I feel certain in my selection of cattle.  Brahmans are a hardy breed and somehow seem to excel in these harsh times, whilst standard Angus and Hereford cattle in the area look to be struggling.

Perhaps I should try a rain dance?