CHRISTINE Plant and her family at Manangatang are like many broadacre croppers in the Mallee right now – their sprayer is working overtime.
Traditionally a lower-rainfall farming area – with an annual average of about 300mm (or a bit less usually) – the family’s farm has been getting more than its fair share of water through December and January.
In an average year, January’s rainfall is about 32.7mm – and last year Manangatang enjoyed a better-than-usual 33.8mm.
But in just two days this month its weather station recorded 65.6mm.
“My husband Keith and I farm with son Brad and his wife Donna and their two children,” Christine says.
“We grow wheat, barley, lentils and chickpeas with our rotation being a legume crop or brown manure peas, followed by one or two cereal crops.
“Following those big rains in December-January we have excellent subsoil moisture going into this year’s cropping season.
“At the moment, the sprayer has been going fairly nonstop.
“Since harvest was completed, we have nearly finished the second summer pass and it is essential to have good weed control to save as much moisture as possible for the next crop.”
Christine says the family is already starting to get ready for cropping and their disc seeder will be headed into the workshop soon for its annual maintenance.
Their special purpose chemical truck is also getting a full workover and will be fitted out with equipment that will minimise the handling of chemicals.
Christine is a member of the next Grains100 cohort, set to complete an eight-week program combining online and face-to-face learning.
“I’m really looking forward to meeting some switched-on farmers,” she said.
“I think you can learn a lot from other people and am interested to hear what others are doing.
“I’m hoping to also improve my advocacy and public speaking skills, and hope that involvement in the course will lead to other advocacy opportunities.”
During the program, GrainGrowers says participants can expect to:
- Further develop high-level leadership skills.
- Hone persuasion and communication skills with the confidence to engage on all levels about modern grain production.
- Confidently communicate industry issues and share industry success stories (with media and the community).
- Further develop stakeholder engagement skills and techniques.
- Expand their network of like-minded individuals.
“At a community level, I am passionate about advocating for funding for the Robinvale-Sea Lake Road which is the main feeder route to the Calder Highway, our main route to the port, and is not yet gazetted for (high productivity vehicles),” Christine said.
“We had a double fatality on a very dangerous corner just before Christmas, so it is important that we get more funding to improve this road to make it safer for cars, trucks and machinery.
“I’d also like to do some more in the council rates space – during the past five years our dryland farming rates have gone up 64 per cent, yet less than 1 per cent of project money is spent in the small towns of the grain belt.
“I am proud to be an Australian grain grower and to be part of the grains industry. Australia grows a very good quality and sustainable product, one that is known for its clean and green performance, and I hope I can advocate on behalf of our industry to improve things for growers and consumers.”
