Mum pulls her kids out of school to work on the farm and four-year-old drives ute

A four-year-old boy sits behind the wheel, steering a ute across a barren paddock as his mum shovels stock feed out the back and wonders if this drought will ever end.

This is the stark reality of Australia’s devastating drought, which is destroying rural properties in the eastern states, and forcing women like Jess Taylor to find more creative ways to keep the farm, viable until the rains return.

Several times a week this scene in the Taylor’s paddock plays out.

While little Charlie peers over the dash and keeps the ute in a straight line with the engine in low gear, his mother Jess shovels out the cotton seed to feed the diminishing number of cattle on their dusty central New South Wales land. 

‘You can walk faster than the car, it putts along,’ Ms Taylor who lives on the farm, located at Coonabarabran, 500km northwest of Sydney, told Daily Mail Australia, defending putting her boy at the wheel. 

‘It’s got to be done … it was a matter of him having to (learn how to drive). It’s a big open paddock, nothing to hit, he’s not going around trees.’ 

The stark reality of Australia’s devastating drought is destroying rural properties in the eastern states, and forcing  families to find creative ways to keep farms viable until the rains return (pictured is Heidi Taylor, 7, on her family farm outside Coonanarabran, New South Wales)

Young children are having to help on the farm (pictured) during the drought where they are trading days off school for work and the four-year-old even drives the ute

Young children are having to help on the farm (pictured) during the drought where they are trading days off school for work and the four-year-old even drives the ute

The Taylor children (pictured) from Coonabarabran, 500km northwest of Sydney,  are attempting to keep their property in business

The Taylor children (pictured) from Coonabarabran, 500km northwest of Sydney,  are attempting to keep their property in business

Several times a week, Charlie, four, drives a ute through the paddock and keeps it in a straight line in NSW while his older siblings (Harry, six, pictured) work on the farm

Several times a week, Charlie, four, drives a ute through the paddock and keeps it in a straight line in NSW while his older siblings (Harry, six, pictured) work on the farm

While Charlie steers the ute, his mother, Jess Taylor (pictured), feeds the livestock from the back tray in a desperate attempt to keep them alive

While Charlie steers the ute, his mother, Jess Taylor (pictured), feeds the livestock from the back tray in a desperate attempt to keep them alive

'The kids help as much as they can, they're just little kids but they get in and they help load the cotton seed on the trailer, feed poddy lambs and horses, help shovel it out and roll the hay out,' said the children's mother 

‘The kids help as much as they can, they’re just little kids but they get in and they help load the cotton seed on the trailer, feed poddy lambs and horses, help shovel it out and roll the hay out,’ said the children’s mother 

Charlie knows if he doesn’t help his family, the cows will ‘die’.

The four-year-old’s older siblings, Heidi, seven, and Harry, six, also lend an extra hand on the farm instead of going to school.

The pair rotate between each other to take days off in an attempt to keep the property. 

‘The kids help as much as they can, they’re just little kids but they get in and they help load the cotton seed on the trailer, feed poddy lambs and horses, help shovel it out and roll the hay out,’ Ms Taylor said. 

‘It’s part of everyday life.’ 

The mother-of-four said her two eldest children take one day off a fortnight but the ‘bush school’ is understanding because all the students are in the same situation.

‘It’s pretty tough. We’ve still had a lot of harder grass and ground cover but every day it’s disappearing, we notice it every day,’ she said.

‘On the other side there’s nothing, not a blade of grass, just dirt.

‘A lot of people are in a lot of trouble. Australia is in a lot of trouble if nothing is done soon.’

'The government really needs to do something, we are exhausted, we've exhausted all our options, we just need a little bit of help to stop feeling so alone,' Ms Taylor said

‘The government really needs to do something, we are exhausted, we’ve exhausted all our options, we just need a little bit of help to stop feeling so alone,’ Ms Taylor said

The mother-of-four said her two eldest children (Harry, six, pictured) take one day off a fortnight but the 'bush school' is understanding because all the students are in the same situation

The mother-of-four said her two eldest children (Harry, six, pictured) take one day off a fortnight but the ‘bush school’ is understanding because all the students are in the same situation

Ms Taylor, 36, and husband Robert, 35, were forced to sell three-quarters of their livestock and said they'll be forced to sell more 'when it comes to the pinch' (their property pictured)

Ms Taylor, 36, and husband Robert, 35, were forced to sell three-quarters of their livestock and said they’ll be forced to sell more ‘when it comes to the pinch’ (their property pictured)

'The kids wish it would just rain, if it rains we could have a holiday - the poor kids have never been on a holiday,' said Ms Taylor about the family's dire farming situation 

‘The kids wish it would just rain, if it rains we could have a holiday – the poor kids have never been on a holiday,’ said Ms Taylor about the family’s dire farming situation 

Ms Taylor, 36, and husband Robert, 35, were forced to sell three-quarters of their cattle and said they would be forced to sell more ‘when it comes to the pinch’.

‘It’s been pretty hard, we have enough feed to see us through to the end of winter and then I’m not sure,’ Ms Taylor told Daily Mail Australia.

‘The government really needs to do something, we are exhausted, we’ve exhausted all our options, we just need a little bit of help to stop feeling so alone.’

The mother, who comes from generations of farmers, said she spends five hours a day feeding cattle – a job she would only have to do a few times a week if it weren’t for the drought.

‘The kids wish it would just rain, if it rains we could have a holiday – the poor kids have never been on a holiday,’ she said.  

While the farmers are battling the dry conditions, deemed the worst in NSW since records began, Ms Taylor said the country will continue to feel the effects for another few years.

About 60 per cent of NSW is on drought watch forcing farmers to fork out about $10,000 a week to maintain livestock 

About 60 per cent of NSW is on drought watch forcing farmers to fork out about $10,000 a week to maintain livestock 

While the farmers are battling the dry conditions (pictured), deemed the worst in NSW since records began, Ms Taylor said country will continue to feel the effects for another few years

While the farmers are battling the dry conditions (pictured), deemed the worst in NSW since records began, Ms Taylor said country will continue to feel the effects for another few years

The mother, who comes from generations of farmers, said she spends five hours a day feeding cattle - a job she would have to do a few times a week if it weren't for the drought (pictured)

The mother, who comes from generations of farmers, said she spends five hours a day feeding cattle – a job she would have to do a few times a week if it weren’t for the drought (pictured)

'The kids (pictured) wish it would just rain, if it rains we could have a holiday - the poor kids have never been on a holiday,' she said

‘The kids (pictured) wish it would just rain, if it rains we could have a holiday – the poor kids have never been on a holiday,’ she said

Businesses are currently being forced to sell their cattle in poor conditions. When it does rain, the mother-of-four said farmers will hold on to their stock to breed and make up for their losses – creating a national shortage in meat supplies.

‘Probably in six to 12 months time … there will be a shortage,’ Ms Taylor said.

‘It’s in the best interest of the country if they help us now so we don’t have to sell everything.

‘The whole economy will suffer. The cost of living is already expensive, there aren’t even crops planted yet so imagine how much a loaf of bread will go up.’

About 60 per cent of NSW is on drought watch forcing farmers to fork out about $10,000 a week to maintain livestock. 

Ms Taylor said her family had to truck in hay from South Australia and Western Australia, costing them $6 per kilometre. 

‘The government needs to step up, bring in freight subsidies … it’s not sustainable to continue to do this,’ she said. 

When it does rain, the mother-of-four said farmers will hold on to their stock (pictured) to breed and make up for their losses creating a national shortage in meat supplies

When it does rain, the mother-of-four said farmers will hold on to their stock (pictured) to breed and make up for their losses creating a national shortage in meat supplies

As much as 90 per cent of NSW is reported to be suffering from the drought as many families have been forced to escape the debt crippling conditions - creating an onset of mental health issues

As much as 90 per cent of NSW is reported to be suffering from the drought as many families have been forced to escape the debt crippling conditions – creating an onset of mental health issues

‘There will be a major food shortage … and it’s going to be six years at least before farmers start to come out of this after the rain.’

The mother-of-four explained it was not just the farmers hurting, small communities were also feeling the effects.

‘Money is not being spent in towns. It’s wonderful people are collecting food and bringing it out but it stops money being spent in town … it’s a double edged sword,’ Ms Taylor said. 

As much as 90 per cent of NSW is reported to be suffering from the drought as many families have been forced to escape the debt crippling conditions – creating an onset of mental health issues.

Under the state government scheme, farmers can borrow up to $50,000 interest free from the state government but it has been deemed by those suffering as less effective then a freight subsidy. 

Ms Taylor, along with other farmers, said the government is essentially ‘doing nothing’ to help. 

If you or someone you know needs help, please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14. For help with depression, please see Beyond Blue for a list of organisations that can assist. 

Under the state government scheme, farmers can borrow up to $50,000 interest free from the state government but it has been deemed by those suffering as less effective then a freight subsidy

Under the state government scheme, farmers can borrow up to $50,000 interest free from the state government but it has been deemed by those suffering as less effective then a freight subsidy

About 60 per cent of NSW is on drought watch forcing farmers to fork out about $10,000 a week to maintain livestock (pictured)

About 60 per cent of NSW is on drought watch forcing farmers to fork out about $10,000 a week to maintain livestock (pictured)



Read more at DailyMail.co.uk