Low rainfall season delivers surprise crop results for Jil Jil farmer
Despite facing one of the driest growing seasons on record, a Victorian farmer has achieved crop yields that contradict all early expectations.
In a season that could have spelled disaster, decile one and two rainfall has produced decile seven and eight crops for Jil Jil farmer John Ferrier.
John is currently harvesting wheat and said yields, after moving into just the second paddock this week, were ranging from 3 tonnes/ha to 4 tonnes/ha, a result he was happy with.
“We have finished our canola, barley and lentils and so far harvest has outstripped our initial expectations,” he said.
John and his family grow crops on their property, Wirrabilla, and have attributed good summer rainfall, timely sowing and soil moisture conservation combined with a mild spring for the overall results.
“The wheat quality is good and we have had some really good protein of 10.5 and 11 per cent,” he said.
“For the rainfall, and the season we have had, wheat is performing exceptionally and we are pleased with both yield and quality.”
For canola crops that were windrowed, the yield was more than 2 tonnes/ha. Some of the canola that was direct headed and had experienced earlier germination struggles due to the dry season ranged from 1-1.3 tonnes/ha.
“The heavier soil types didn’t perform as well as the lighter soil,” John said.
Lentil yields were up to 1.8 tonnes/ha and barley crops were at around 3 tonnes/ha.
“The general consensus is that a decile one or two rainfall year for the growing season has actually delivered what we would consider to be decile 7 yields,” he said.
John said he was hoping to finish harvest in the next two weeks but that was weather dependent.
“The weather is looking a little more settled than it has. We did have a run of showery and windy weather there and we have also had a couple of total fire ban and cease harvest days,” he said.
