Mallee farmer drought-proofed by storing feed for sheep

DESPITE the driest starts in 75 years, this Mallee family is reaping the rewards from its crop, writes DALE WEBSTER.

Growing optimism: Andrew Willsmore in a direct-drilled crop on his farm at Underbool in Victoria’s Mallee region. Picture: Dale Webster

IT’S the driest year in living memory in the driest corner of Victoria yet Underbool farmer Andrew Willsmore is not letting it cost him any sleep — he knows he has everything in place to give his farming operation the best shot at getting though.

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While agronomically even he is astounded at what he has been able to grow on just 69.5mm of rain since last December, it was a decision made several years ago to invest in enough on-farm storage to never have to sell grain again if he didn’t want to that has essentially “drought-proofed” the business this season.

Add in a certain amount dexterity to shift from his primary production focus — grain and legumes — to other commodities such as livestock and hay production, he is assured of a steady income even if he doesn’t harvest a single crop.

But despite the historically low rainfall — the area in northwest Victoria is still 25mm under 1967’s record dry of 90mm — early fears of a failure are not playing out in the paddock.

Three months ago Andrew stood in a paddock of lentils lucky to be 5cm high after.

They had taken eight weeks to come out of the ground after the driest start to the season his family had seen in the 75 years they had been farming in that area.

Just 37.5mm of rain had fallen in dribs and drabs by that stage and the crops had been hit by frost after frost, slowing any progress that could be made.

Lupins had made it to 10cm high, barley emergence was staggered and the wheat considered “non-existent”.

Andrew Willsmore says he has put 900 lambs on to his lentils, which took eight weeks to emerge after being planted in April. Picture: Dale Webster

Now, as the crops move towards maturity, Andrew is preparing for a harvest.

In the ground is 1100ha of lentils, 1100ha of barley, 1100ha of wheat and 700ha of lupins and field peas, with 400ha of vetch cut for hay in mid-September

“We lost some wheat and peas to frost but we’ll get something off this year for sure,” he said.

“I reckon we’ll even salvage a couple of paddocks of lentils.

“We won’t be breaking any records but we will get something out of it.”

CHANGING TACK

The Willsmore family moved to a no-till, direct drilling system 12 years ago and has been continuous cropping ever since.

Before then, they followed the standard practice in the Mallee to rip up paddocks in a three-year rotation — one year cereal, one year pasture and one year fallow.

The change has turned what was a precarious area to farm into a land of untapped potential.

“When you look back it’s remarkable we survived this long doing what we were doing,” Andrew said.

“No till, direct-drilling — no one thought that would ever work — agronomy advice, new ways of looking at things and being able to adapt has all changed the landscape of the Mallee.

“You can dig down here anywhere now and find moisture.

“As long as you get the main four things right — summer weed control, time of sowing, rotation and nutrition — you’ve done everything you can and the rest is in the lap of the gods.

“If it rains it rains but if it doesn’t you can still sleep easy because you couldn’t have possibly have done anything else.”

Andrew says that this season is proof the system is on the money.

“The way the crops have held on is truly remarkable,” he said.

“You look at a year like this and you’re nearly excited about what you can grow if we do get a normal rainfall of around 250mm in a year.

“We see potential now that is above and beyond anything we ever dreamed we could grow.

“This year has made me think about what we could grow if we got the rain.”

STORAGE

In 2008, the Willsmores began assembling on-farm storage with the aim of reaching a point where they could hold on to about 50 per cent of their entire harvest should they choose to.

Andrew realised that getting the business into that position was the key to being able to ride out the tougher years and stop a cycle of living from year to year and having to accept whatever price the market was at.

They have invested in about $500,000 in humidity and temperature-controlled silos and shedding, with sausage bags and loading equipment valued at $70,000 on top of that, bringing total storage capacity on farm up to 5000 tonnes.

Andrew says most years the investment just about pays for itself but in a year like this, where he is getting record prices for barley delivered, it has “drought-proofed” the farm for the year.

“When the years are good you will always make money storing grain on farm,” he said.

“It’s pretty much a no-brainer. It’s like storing hay. If the price is no good and you can afford to do it, put it in a shed. Twelve months ago nobody thought you’d be able to sell hay and now every bale in the country has gone.

“Grain is the same — you have just got to work towards being able to get yourself into that position where you don’t have to sell.

“Sometimes that’s hard — it’s easy for us to say because we’ve nearly got there — but a lot of farmers live year-to-year, whatever they make has to go straight back in and you’re forced to sell, that’s what puts you over a barrel.”

DIVERSIFICATION

Livestock and hay production also form part of the business model, with Andrew having just purchased 900 crossbred lambs to put on the lentils that won’t make it through.

He has cut 400ha of vetch for hay and frost-damaged wheat — which makes up about 10 per cent of his cereals — will also be baled.

Hay, he believes, is the way of the future for the Mallee and they are gearing up to increase production.

“Hay is really going to explode up here,” he said.

“There’s just too much money to be made to not get into it. Our hay will come in earlier than everyone down south and we can pick up better prices and grow better quality.

“A decade ago you’d be laughed at if you were thinking about cutting all your beautiful crops for hay but if you sat down and did the sums you’d cut ever acre of every paddock you have this year and I think you’d make a fortune.”

For Andrew, this all adds up to peace of mind.

“If you have diversity — if you have a finger in lots of little pies — something will work.

“You’re not relying on one thing to get you through and if it doesn’t you’re in trouble.

“Nine times out of 10 grain storage and all the other pieces of the puzzle will work reasonably well — that other time it doesn’t, it’s still enough to get you through to have a crack at the year after.”