Decisions decisions and observations

Extracted from the Farm Tender weekly Newsletter - Sign up and get the email every Wednesday morning before 6 am. www.farmtender.com.au

By Dwain Duxson.

We hope you have a great Christmas and New Year period.

Decision day is every day on the Farm.

And making decisions is something that doesn't come easy to many people.

That's where Farming and Farmers can differ from the non Farming people. Why? Because Farmers are making decisions more regularly, they become good at it, or better than average.

Making decisions can be a learnt behaviour. Not every Farmer is a born decision-maker, but over time, when given more responsibility, they get better at it.

Procrastinators often beat themselves up, worried they will make a wrong decision when any decision will do, just as long as it's a decision.

Observing is another learnt trait of Farmers.

I know back when I was working as part of the team on the Family Farm, I was pretty much a Bull-at-a-gate type operator, do it and do it now.

But now, as a second time and part-time Farmer on a much smaller scale, I feel I am observing things more. It might just be an age and experience thing too.

It could be like watching how the Sheep graze or observing whether they like drinking from the Dam more than the trough, things like that.

Now that I have spent some time observing and trying to work out how this new property functions, I now see the value in it. Future decisions, right or wrong, will be made on the back of those observations.

In a more modern sense, you could be observing the data you have collected and making decisions off the back of that.

To observe properly, I have found you have to take your time, focus, and block things out of your mind to work out why things are happening like they are.

I was out in the paddock the other day and turned off the Motorbike and sat for a while watching the Sheep graze. I couldn't believe how hard they ripped at the dry grass and how noisy they were when they grazed. And here I was, having been around Sheep all my life.

When you are trying to make decisions that involve the landscape, the environment and the weather, things rarely turn out the same each time. It's the unknown, and it's a huge challenge.

And that might explain why Farming becomes addictive to many.

It also might explain why it's so exhausting and why some get out and opt for a simpler life.

Do your best in 2022

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