Math's Task location report'

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Math's Task-location report.
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Characters/Location

• I have chosen to do my report on a beef farmer
  growing crops to feed cattle.
• My farmers are located at Grafton NSW 2460, and
  Darwin NT 0800.

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About the seasons

• Darwin has two Season (theoretically) The wet,
  and the dry. The wet season includes January,
  February, March, April, October, November,
  December. The remainder of the months is the dry
  season. Oddly, Darwins hot weather is in wet
  season (summer) And their cold weather is in dry
  season (winter).

4

• Grafton has four distinct seasons (Summer,
  Autumn, Winter, Spring) our weather goes with the
  seasons. Our wetter season is in Summer and
  Spring. Our dryer seasons are Winter and Autumn.

5
Weather conditions - Darwin

• Some of the extreme weather conditions you can
  expect in Darwin are
• Cyclones in the wet season (summer)
• Storms, heavy rainfall and flooding in the wet
  season
• A consequence of this type of weather could
  result in pasture being torn out of the ground in
  a cyclone
• Pasture being flattened by hail in a storm
• Pasture rotting during flood
• Soil eroding during heavy rainfall

6
Weather conditions - Grafton

• Some of the extreme weather conditions you can
  expect in Grafton are
• Storms and heavy rainfall in Summer
• Grafton can also get flooding or drought
• Frosts during winter
• The consequences of these weather conditions can
  result in floods rotting the crops seed
• Drought means there is not enough moisture in the
  ground to ensure growth
• Frosts can kill the pasture and seed if planted
  at the wrong time.

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Growing crops

• When comparing Grafton to Darwins temperatures
  you can see that Darwins maximum temperatures do
  not fall below approximately 300C even during the
  winter months. The coldest minimum temperatures
  are approximately 200C but this only occurs from
  June to August.
• Grafton maximum temperatures are almost the same
  as Darwins minimum temperatures. Graftons
  minimum temperatures are much lower than
  Darwins. With an average 170C difference in the
  month of July.

8

• The best time to plant Sorgham in Grafton is in
  spring because the ground is warming up Winter
  is behind it and theres no frost to kill the
  pasture.
• For Sorgham to grow the ground temperature needs
  to be 180c to 200c. The ground also needs to be
  moist, to incubate the seed well And also to
  ensure good crops.
• Sorgham needs to be well watered. When planting a
  seed the soil needs to be moist to promote quick
  germination. But planting seed in a dry season
  and irrigating can also be successful.
• The difference in temperatures between Grafton
  and Darwin for crops means that if farmers
  planted Sorgham in Darwin they would need to
  plant it in the winter and provide irrigation.

9

• When you compare Grafton to Darwins average
  rainfall, the rainfall pattern is roughly the
  same, however the rainfall amounts are very
  different.
• Darwin has high rainfall at the start of the
  year (summer), falls to almost nothing during
  winter and builds toward the end of the year.
  From November to March is known as the wet
  season. May to September is known as the dry
  season.
• Graftons rainfall also peaks November to March
  but unlike Darwin Grafton still receives rain
  during winter.

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Summary

• For a Grafton farmer Sorgham (hay-crop) is the
  chosen crop because the temperature is suitable
  for growth and the rainfall is adequate.
• For a Darwin farmer Sorgham (hay-crop) would not
  be the chosen crop because the temperatures are
  too high in summer and spring and there is not
  enough rainfall during winter.

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References

• Weatherzone http//www.weatherzone.com.au
• Bureau of Meteorology http//www.bom.gov.au
• Darwin http//www.whatsondarwin.com/info/weather.
  html
• Grafton http//www.clarence.nsw.gov.au/cmst/cvc00
  9/nova.asp
• Crops http//www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/agriculture and
  http//www.nt.gov.au/lands
• Farmer Mr Max Johnson, 425 Four Mile Lane,
  Clarenza 2460