Long Distance Distinctions

This photo was taken about a week ago looking towards the Stirling Ranges in the Great Southern. It's a good example of how distance and climate conditions play out in our big state. I was touring with an international guest and it brought home to me how vast our distances really are.

Here in the Great Southern the canola was pretty much in full bloom whereas to the north near Dandaragan and Moora farmers were already starting to swathe their canola crops in some areas. This is a farming practice utilised to get the seed pods to dry uniformly and at the same time so they can be harvested in one go.

Around 200 kms further south around Northam and York the canola was nearing the other side of being in full bloom. Already spent flowers were falling from the plants and overall the fields were not looking so vividly yellow. This was overall in the fields I observed and it is possible that they were sown at different times which is also part of my point that over distance there is a marked difference in plant growth due to a clear change in conditions. This is visually evident with the quite rapid change of the native trees and flora over various distances, climatic conditions and soil types.

From Northam to the Great Southern region is another 300-450 kms (450 kms to Albany). The area I traveled with my friend was a relatively small portion of Western Australia, yet in comparison to say an area the size of Europe we would have covered enough distance to cover parts of the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary. Or a good third or more of Spain!

Sometimes it is a little lost on some folks as to why we focus on locally adapted seeds. We make them our focus because even though you can get in a car and be in Perth in just over 4 hours - that distance you cover in air-conditioned comfort has quite an effect on the way our vegetables respond to local conditions as opposed to the same vegetables growing in Perth. Further north again to say Geraldton and there are extra conditions. Here in the south we still share a Mediterranean Climate with the lower west coast, but we are on the Southern Ocean with its own varying effects on our weather cycle.

Don't be fooled by the conveniences of modern technology. A comfortable car or an hours plane flight to Perth further perpetuates the illusion. Distance matters.