Grain rain: Spring rain boosts harvest hopes for Westmere grain grower

Westmere grain grower Graeme McCrow has high hopes for harvest, after receiving an ideally-timed spring downpour.

Healthy start: Graeme McCrow, who grows barley, wheat, canola and beans, in his crops at Westmere.

IT should be an above-average year for Westmere grain grower Graeme McCrow, whose crops have had an ideal downpour of spring rain.

The grower, who produces wheat, barley, canola and beans, has received 46mm of rain so far this month.

“We have had above average rainfall for the year,” he said. “For August we got 71mm of rain and September 82mm.”

And while Mr McCrow had a dry winter, he said that suited his crops well.

“We should get canola yields of about 2.5 tonnes a hectare, wheat and barley should get 5-6 tonnes and beans 2.5-3 tonnes,” he said.

“But it’s not in the bag yet.”

Southern Farming Systems operations manager Gina Kreeck said Western District crops were “looking good”, and if spared from major frosts would provide a bumper season.

“There has been a touch of frost in some areas but it hasn’t been a wipe-out, just bits and pieces.”

Ms Kreeck said rain over the past two weeks in Inverleigh reached 35mm and Hamilton received almost double that, gaining 66mm.

And rain, coupled with a dry winter in the area, has been a blessing for crops.

“Crops have been rapidly growing, so moisture has been taken out quite quickly,” Ms Kreeck said.

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