Peter and Mary Reynolds posted signs at their New South Wales dairy farm showing the effects of power cuts from the forest fires Source: ABC.
Four days after their farm was cut off by a forest fire, a couple of dairy farmers on the north-central coast of New South Wales were forced to pour out nearly 4000 litres of milk (more than 11 milking).
For Mary and Peter Reynolds, it was heartbreaking to watch thousands of liters of milk poured into the sewers because it cost them thousands of dollars.
As the dairy couple watched a series of fires approach their Pappingbala dairy farm near Macquarie Port, their community went out of power for four days.
Although the fire only affected the area around their farm, the Reynolds and his wife`s next concern was milking their cows.
Even if we don`t have electricity, cows still need milking, Mr. Reynolds said.
"I turned off the vacuum pump on the tractor, and then we had a generator to run all the electric equipment we needed to milk."
The generator enables the couple to milk their cows, but it does not provide enough electricity to keep the milk at the required temperature.
As a result, they had no choice but to pour nearly 4000 liters of milk out of more than 11 milking.
Reynolds said: "when we watch the milk flow out, you think, `that`s a waste of money,`" Reynolds said.
"You have to continue the milking. You can`t let the cow suffer, so you put it out."
After the cow milks and leave dairy, Mr. Reynolds installs a PVC pipe on the valve on the bucket. When he opens the valve, the milk flows through the dairy and into the paddock.
Mr. Reynolds said: "We`ve lost a part of the budget.".
Money flowing into the sewer.
To highlight their plight, Reynolds posted a notice showing what impact power outages had on their lives.
They put a notice on the gate leading to the dairy indicating how much milk must be poured out.
