Western District crops set up for spring with 40mm of rain

WESTERN District grain growers were “pretty stoked” to receive about 40mm of rain last week.

Farmers and agronomists taking a look at two farms in the Streatham area, one belonging to Scott Blurton and the other Myles Reid. Pictured is Kurt Miller, Scott Blurton's farm hand PICTURE: ANDY ROGERS

WESTERN District grain growers were “pretty stoked” to receive about 40mm of rain in the past 10 days.

That’s according to Kurt Miller, who works for cropping farmer Scott Blurton at Streatham.

Mr Blurton has 3200ha planted to crops this season across the Streatham region.

“We had about 40mm of rain in that last lot,” Mr Miller said. “We weren’t as desperate as some others, but it was good timing.

“We had a dry start to sowing and that rain will now kick things along nicely.”

Mr Miller said the Blurton farms were sown to barley, wheat, canola, lupins, faba beans, clover and oats.

“We have planted more barley this year — last year a lot of that was cut and baled up, which helps control slugs,” he said.

“This rain should get us through into August but we’ll need more in September.”