That's a lot more help than being on the 20 to 23 per cent rate last time we faced such a deep recession.

June 30 has also seen the seeders and tractors back in the shed, ready for any maintenance, because most seeding programs have finished and farmers are only waiting for soaking rains.

Spray units are probably being cranked-up for some post-seeding spray to take care of weeds, with probably some colourful language when the spray jets, meant to be replaced last year, are found to be till not working.

Most ewes should have finished lambing, and all I can say is that they had better be raising a lamb, or they may continue to be sent to market because of the current high prices.

Lambs in paddocks appear to be jumping out of their skins with the warmer winter weather conditions here in SA allowing early growth.

With only lamb-tailing and marking providing any setback over the next month or so, if the season turns out to be a better one than has been forecast, there should be some heavy lambs coming into the marketplace earlier than normal.

*Extract from on-farm column in the Stock Journal, July 2 issue.