The drought is biting hard across much of NSW so we thought we'd take a moment at AgQuip to ask field day visitors what signs really highlighted the big dry to them.
From the cheeky crows flying backwards to the more serious farmers having destocked and thus having time to get off-farm, we got a range of replies.
John Stevens, of Tamworth, pointed out that when it is all the media is talking about then you know it's dry.
"This drought is so widespread it is affecting the whole country," Mr Stevens said.
"Once it rains it will be two years before money from agriculture begins to flow back into the towns."
Doug Woodham, Walgett, said his family farm had only had one profitable crop in the past five years.
"We're selling the family farm. After four generations on the land there's no money for the farmer," Mr Woodham said.
"Who else works seven days a week for one profitable year in five?"
Ross Robinson and Jarras Shawyer, Williams River, in the lower Hunter Valley said looking for on-farm diversity was a good sign of drought.
"After four generations on the land we are looking at ways we can keep our back country, with its wildlife and hollow bearing trees and make it work for us."
Western Liverpool Plains beef farmer Margaret Fleck had noticed the trees on the Oxley Highway east of Coonabarabran suffering and said that was a sure sign of drought.
"When you see high mortality rates in all ages of trees, from two years to 200 years,that's a sure sign" Ms Fleck said.
Forbes Santa Gertrudis breeder Dennis Moxey thought he was pretty well drought-proofed with stored feed galore.
"You really know its dry when you have gone through 6000 tonnes of silage, 2500 big bales and 100t of cottonseed in 12 months," he said.
"And now we're paying $10 a head for agistment for cattle out in the far south west of NSW."
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