Local farmers report good crops with good volumes
As the harvest season moves closer to the end, local farmers are reporting good volumes and another year of quality crops.
A constant stream of trucks has unloaded crops of barley, wheat and canola at Graincorp in Benalla Road Yarrawonga over the past several weeks.
On site manager Daniel Bruton said to date it has been a good volume of crop.
“Compared to last year, it’s on a par,” he said.
“They are good quality crops. It’s an early start this year, about a week earlier than last year.
“Subject to the weather, season 2023 is looking really good. The rain we had didn’t knock the crops around too much.
“We have trucks with crops from Katamatite, Lake Rowan, Rutherglen and across the ditch. We’re a big network.”
Third generation farmer Jamie Cummins and wife Alison farm at ‘Telewonga Pty Ltd’, Burramine 10km west of Yarrawonga, with Jamie’s cousin Justin and his wife Libby, and grow dry land winter crops mainly consisting of roughly 50% wheat and 50% canola.
“With very little rain during September the ground moisture was drying up and in turn both the wheat and canola were starting to struggle,” Jamie said.
“Fortunately, 60 to 80 millimetres over the property early October completely changed our budgets. That one rain increased our forecasted yields/income by 40%.
“The rains have been kind to us the last three years enabling us to grow honest crops and have healthy returns on investment.
“This has enabled us to invest back in our business such as up grading machinery and increase grain storage, paying off some debt and being better prepared for dryer/drought years.”
Over time the Cummins have built up their grain storage facility to be able to store the majority of wheat harvest on an average year, then delivering the grain to buyers in Melbourne throughout the year.
“This enables us to have more control of the grain increasing our profit. Generally, we deliver our canola into the local system such as Graincorp in Yarrawonga of LDC at Telford,” Jamie said.
“As with all business, farming practices have evolved over time, but the basic principles still apply.
“Basically we need to grow as much grain as we can from the rainfall we have.”
Northwest of Mulwala in the Mt Gywnne area third generation farmers Chris and Leanne Blomeley, are happy with how season 2023 is shaping up.
The Blomeleys primarily grow wheat, canola and barley along with some oaten or clover hay.
“Our business achieves scale by a significant portion of share farming and leasing of country as well some contract sowing and harvesting,” Leanne said.
“This allows us to invest in more modern and efficient machinery.”
Chris and Leanne completed Agricultural Degrees at the University of Melbourne. Chris then pursued a career in Farm Management while Leanne worked in Agronomy and R&D, roles that complement their own business today.
“The 2023 season so far has been very good, we had significant flooding in 2022 so we entered the year with a good profile of soil moisture,” Chris said.
“This led to some changes in our seeding plan and there were some issues completing herbicide applications at the correct timings with wet paddocks. This year there were significant challenges securing supplies of urea.”
Thankfully, the broadacre cropping farmers managed to pick up their quota and also spread urea on all of their canola paddocks in front of the seeder which gave them some breathing space.
“The spring was reasonably good, despite a hot dry pinch in September,” Leanne said.
“Harvest so far is progressing well with the clover hay, canola and barley completed. Yields have been average with the canola achieving 2.4t/ha and barley 5.7t/ha.
“These figures are back on 2020 and 2021 although prices remain strong and we are achieving good quality grain so far with high oil percent in the canola and the barley was classified as malt.” The Blomeleys started wheat two weeks ago it looks promising, grain so far with high oil percentage in the canola and the barley was classified as malt.
“We are well through the wheat and now on the home stretch,” Leanne said.
“Yields have ranged between 5t/ha and 6.5t/ha with the majority of our wheat going in as ASW1.
“Achieving higher protein seems to be an issue across the region, potentially a result of the cooler finish to the season or using up nitrogen reserves after better seasons and wet conditions.”
The well-known Cummins family advised of their formula for success.
“To make money in our business, there are five main steps we follow,” Jamie said.
“1. Be prepared: This includes having machinery in order to limit down-time during peak periods; having parts, inputs such as chemical, seed fertiliser on hand.
“2. Timing: This is where the most money can be made and lost. Timing includes, summer spraying, sowing, fertility, fungicide spraying and harvest.
“3. Working on the business. Knowing your business’s strong points and what’s needed to work on.
“4. Be prepared for change. Every year is so different to the previous.
“5. Make sure you enjoy it and spend time with families and friends.”