Dominic George: Most blokes just get on with the job

Drought brings a lot of extra work and there's certainly no time to sit about moaning.

Farmers are all moaners. I heard that the other day on the radio, or at least words to that effect. It's not the first time I've heard it and it won't be the last. It's one of those sentiments often uttered in New Zealand and taken to be generally accurate by many outside the sector.

I'm sure there are farmers who moan, just as there are lawyers who moan, doctors who moan and journalists who moan ... oh wait, hang on, not journos. But you get the point, there are moaners in all walks of life.

There are also farmers who don't moan, just like, once again, there are people in every job and profession that accept the job they're doing has good points and bad points, that nothing is ever perfect and you can either play the hand you're dealt or quit the game altogether.

There appears to be a willingness to blame the media for a whole range of things.

That's quite unjustified. It's easy to blame the media, when in fact it's difficult to report on things that haven't happened. You may disagree with the level of coverage a story receives, or the way a story is treated, or the fact some incidents and events receive coverage while others don't. These are all justifiable gripes -- up to a point. But the fact remains that if it didn't happen it wouldn't be on the news. As I've said before, the news exists because people stuff things up.

But there are anomalies in this, one being the effect of the weather on agriculture -- the key driver in the "farmers are all moaners" argument. You'll see the same sort of thing with, for example, the effect of interest rate hikes on mortgage holders. Let me explain. You see, if, as we've seen recently, there's been a major lack of rain in a region, those who decide the news of the day may tell a reporter to have a look at what effect the lack of rain is having on said region.

Conversely, a weather organisation -- believe me, they are fiercely competitive -- may put out information relating the effects of the dry weather on farms and offer their services as spokespeople, either warning of impending doom or lamenting the current state of affairs.

A reporter will then ask farmers in the region if things are actually as bad as people are making out. The farmers tell the truth and say, yes, things are pretty bad -- what else can they do? -- then get back to work. The opinion of a farmer body such as Federated Farmers will also be solicited, adding to the overall impression of doom and gloom. We then see, read and hear stories about farmers praying for rain while the rest of us are desperate for the sun to keep shining.

A similar process occurs when there's been flooding or snow.

The result -- and you can hardly blame the average person here -- is the perception of farmers being people who moan all the time.

And that's just the weather. There's also the dollar, the milk solids payout and interest rates to name a few other topics of so-called farmer discontent.

The point was made in the same radio conversation that urban dwellers are almost made to feel guilty that the sun is shining and they can therefore enjoy their holidays. I agree with this but, again, I don't think it's the fault of the farmers. They are simply confirming the facts when asked.

As I write this, from a farm in Central Otago, the rain starts again for about the 10th time in two days, providing a welcome relief for the scorched terrain.

In that time a fallen tree needs clearing from a road on the property, there are sheep to muster, fences to repair and K-line fencing to be moved.

There was no moaning before the rain arrived and no moaning when it stops. Instead, there's simply a quiet resolve to get the job done.

Dominic George hosts Farming First, 5am-6am weekdays on Radio Sport.

Rural radio host Dominic George vents his views here every Thursday.