This was the norm during summer as well with breaks in the weather lasting only two or three days.
I became resigned to the fact this weather pattern would continue through the winter. However, in June, the breaks between showers became longer and in July the weather became what I would call an old-fashioned winter, which we haven’t experienced for several years.
If I turn the clock back to my youth in the 1960s, we would experience long periods of clear frosty days, which were great to feed stock in but not so good to dig a post hole that required a crowbar to break the frozen turf.
The frosty days here meant Central Otago’s dams would be frozen over, and now and again a group of us teenagers ventured to Manorburn Dam to try our hand at ice skating. With lengthening warmer days we never skated in August.
Ferndale locals refer to an infamous corner on State Highway 96 on the old coach road as Bristow’s Corner.
Over the years it has claimed more than 20 cars when they have hit the ice and spun off.
A few years ago, the corner was realigned, and the crashes stopped. But this winter the authorities have not gritted the road, resulting in three cars hitting an ice patch and crashing off the road three weeks ago.
A couple of weekends ago, my wife Audrey and I went for a drive down to Tokonui and could not help noticing the number of dairy cows being wintered on an all-grass and baleage system.
They looked to be content and in good condition, and more farmers this year seem to be giving it a go.
I will be interested to see whether it has a long-term future as it must be cost-effective, or they wouldn’t be doing it.
