Orange-based non-profit organisation Feed4Farmers has flown under the radar since Christmas but on Saturday drought-affected farmers near Wellington benefited from a load of hay.
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Feed4Farmers, along with Tommy from Hay Run Tommy's Truck, delivered a bit over three tonnes of hay, costing about $2000, along with supplements, lick blocks, cattle nuts, and a carton of beer to two farmers who have continued to miss out on rainfall.
They also received family passes to Taronga Western Plains Zoo so their children wouldn't miss out.
The hay was bought through donations, with 100 per cent of donations going towards produce or fuel and transport costs.
They think there's always someone who needs it more than them.
- Feed4Farmers coordinator Mitch Kennewell
Feed4Farmers coordinator Mitch Kennewell said the group has mostly been working by word of mouth this year to find farmers in the region who were most in need of assistance and as well as supplying livestock feed they've also given groceries and items including moisturiser and wine.
"It's just a real dry spot. The other side of Wellington got 90 millimeters of rain in the last bit of rain we got and [these farmers] got not even four millimeters not even 10 or 20 kilometres away," he said.
"This spot seems to be a bit out of luck."
Mr Kennewell said initially one farmer was in contact from Wellington but he then referred them to a neighbour and the conditions currently being experienced were said to be unprecedented.
Mr Kennewell said although he's starting to see a green tinge come through near Molong there's still a lot of red dirt that's like powder and the hay delivered on Saturday wouldn't last long.
"We are going to try and get back out there before Christmas," Mr Kennewell said.
He said there were a few other farmers in the same area who were also doing it tough so he hoped to also help them but often found people who needed in didn't want to ask for help.
"They are hard to get a hold of because they don'tr let you know," Mr Kennewell said.
"They think there's always someone who needs it more than them. That's what I got out of it last year, but the screws have turned and they've swallowed their pride."
He said another way to assist those who don't want to ask for help is to take a big load to one property from where it's distributed among other landholders.
To donate visit the Feed4Farmers Facebook page or put feed on Tommy's or Feed4Farmer's accounts at Mullion Produce or Furneys Stock Feeds.
Tanya Marschke
I am based at Orange and cover a wide range of subjects as well as the weekly business column. I've worked consistently in the the media industry since 2006 including the past seven years at the Central Western Daily. Before moving to Orange, I worked as a journalist at weekly newspapers the Beaudesert Times and the Gold Coast Sun in Queensland, as well as the Scone Advocate in the Hunter Valley. I started my career at the Ridge News in Lightning Ridge while I completed my journalism studies remotely at Charles Sturt University in Bathurst.
I am based at Orange and cover a wide range of subjects as well as the weekly business column. I've worked consistently in the the media industry since 2006 including the past seven years at the Central Western Daily. Before moving to Orange, I worked as a journalist at weekly newspapers the Beaudesert Times and the Gold Coast Sun in Queensland, as well as the Scone Advocate in the Hunter Valley. I started my career at the Ridge News in Lightning Ridge while I completed my journalism studies remotely at Charles Sturt University in Bathurst.
