John Carmichael is looking for follow-up rain

Bundalong cropping farmer John Carmichael says he welcomes every single drop of rain that arrives this season, as we chat to him about this season.

Bundalong cropping farmer John Carmichael says he welcomes every single drop of rain that arrives this season.

It’s been a tough one.

Yet his winter crops are emerging and doing reasonably well on a minimal amount of rain.

He was hoping for another 5mm to 10mm of rain this week.

John said 8.5mm of rain arrived at sowing time; then there was another 26mm two weeks ago.

John Carmichael of Bundalong sprays winter crops. Picture: Zoe Phillips

The exclusively cropping farmer grows wheat, barley and canola and said despite the dry he was pleased with how the crops were performing.

Crops had emerged and were looking better than might be expected.

This week, John had started spraying canola to control some ryegrass.

He hoped to have spraying finished in the next couple of weeks, but said he would happily stop if rain arrived in the next few days.

“We have had a pretty good germination for our canola, but it is just slow,” he said.

John said the barley was doing well, and the wheat was looking ok, too.

“We definitely need some follow-up rain to just to keep the season going,” he said.