Happy Wattle & Peach Season

The golden wattles are lighting up the hillsides, the wild peaches are covered in blossom, the days are stretching out and there is a little more warmth in the afternoon sun. Winter hasn't quite let go, but you can feel that something is changing. Welcome to what I call Wattle & Peach Season.

For a long time I've felt that our traditional four seasons of Summer, Autumn, Winter and Spring don't really describe what happens here in South-East Queensland, particularly on grazing country. Nature doesn't wake up because the calendar says it's the first day of Spring. She works to her own timetable.

One year the frosts arrive early. Another year they barely arrive at all. Some years the grass responds to the first warm days, while other years it patiently waits for rain. If we want to become better custodians of the land, I believe we need to observe what is happening outside rather than relying on dates on a calendar.

This year is a perfect example.

Our Frosty Season was remarkably short. We had a relatively mild winter and only a handful of decent frosts. If I had simply looked at the calendar, I would have assumed we were still in the middle of winter. Instead, Nature was already telling a different story. The wattles began flowering. The wild peaches followed soon after. These plants became the signal that the coldest part of the year had passed, even though our tropical pastures were still sitting quietly, waiting for warmer soil temperatures before growing again.

That's one of the reasons I enjoy recognising these six seasons. They encourage me to observe rather than assume.

People often ask where the name Wattle & Peach came from.

It takes me back to one of the most memorable drives of my life.

Katie was in labour with our first child, and we were making the slightly nervous drive to hospital. Like many first-time parents, excitement and uncertainty were travelling with us. Somewhere along the way we noticed that both the golden wattles and the wild peaches were in full blossom.

Trying to ease the tension, we joked that if the baby was a girl we'd call her Peach Blossom and if it was a boy we'd call him Wattle.

We settled on a different name, but every year when those blossoms appear, they take me straight back to that drive and the beginning of a whole new season of life for our family.

Nature has a remarkable way of connecting memories with places and seasons.

From a grazing perspective, Wattle & Peach Season is a fascinating time. Although the landscape is beginning to look more alive, my tropical and subtropical grasses are still effectively asleep. There simply isn't enough warmth yet for meaningful pasture growth. A few warm afternoons don't change that reality. It is often the driest part of the year. Often there is no meaningful rainfall during Wattle & Peach.

This means I'm still relying on the feed I've carefully budgeted earlier in the year. Back during ANZAC Bickie Season I estimated how much standing feed we had available. During Frosty Season I checked those estimates and adjusted where necessary. Now, during Wattle & Peach Season, I'm reviewing that budget again because there are still several months before I can confidently expect significant pasture growth.

It's a reminder that good grazing isn't about optimism; it's about planning.

One of the things I'll be watching closely at this time of year is cattle manure. Manure tells us an incredible amount about what's happening inside the rumen. As the protein level in frosted grasses continues to decline, the rumen microbes can struggle to digest the standing dry feed. Often the first sign is manure beginning to stack up rather than flattening into the familiar mud-pie shape. When that happens, protein supplementation may be needed - not because the cattle require large amounts of protein themselves, but because the rumen microbes need it to keep doing their job.

Fortunately, this year Nature has lent us a hand. Our winter legumes have established well, providing valuable protein to those rumen microbes. The cattle are able to balance their diet naturally, utilising the frosted grass far more effectively. Their manure is telling me they're doing exactly what I'd hoped they would.

Sometimes the best supplement is the one Nature provides.

Good pasture budgeting also creates opportunities. Historically, towards the end of the non-growing season, cattle prices often soften as producers begin running short of feed and reduce stock numbers. Farmers who haven't planned ahead may have little choice but to sell. For those who have confidently matched livestock numbers to their available feed, this period can present opportunities to purchase trade cattle before the growing season begins.

That's one of the benefits of understanding your grass budget. Rather than making decisions from pressure or uncertainty, you can make decisions from confidence.

Of course, every year is different. This year Frosty Season barely seemed to arrive before Wattle & Peach announced itself. Next year might be completely different. That's exactly why I don't want to be governed by the calendar.

The land is always talking to us.

The wattles flower.

The peaches blossom.

The birds change their song.

The insects begin to stir.

The afternoons warm.

Each observation is a small piece of information. Together they help us understand what's happening beneath our feet and guide the decisions we make.

I've described what Wattle & Peach Season looks like where I live. Your observations may be completely different depending on where you are. Perhaps another tree flowers first. Perhaps another bird arrives. Perhaps another event in Nature tells you that the coldest part of the year has passed.

My challenge to you is to spend a little more time observing what is happening around you.

Nature rarely follows our calendars.

She writes her own.

Wherever you are, and whatever season you're having, I wish you all the best for this Wattle & Peach Season.