Rain at the right time secures season for Bridgewater croppers Robert and Tracey Webb

A family of Bridgewater farmers feel “very lucky” three timely rains have kept their cropping season on track.

Bridgewater farmers Tracey and Robert Webb say they are feeling “very lucky” considering how their growing season is playing out.

“I’d say we are not in drought here now; although there is very little sheep feed and it’s cold, and it won’t start growing until August,” Robert said.

“We have been very lucky this year and last year we got good crops; it was to the west of us that things got tougher.”

This year Bridgewater received “virtually no rain until the end of April”, before receiving 38mm on Anzac Day.

“It then stayed dry and we got all the crop in and then had 44mm on the June 8 which was really good, and 20mm at the end of June,” he said.

Tracey and Rob Webb with granddaughter Eleanor Broadbent in their canola field. Picture: Zoe Phillips

“Crops are our main enterprise - we grow wheat, canola and barley - and they are looking really good although they are a bit behind due to the late start.”

The Webbs also buy in crossbred lambs and feedlot them for three months, which, Robert said, offered a profitable margin this year.

They recently sold lambs weighing around 60kg liveweight for $316.

“We can buy the lambs in at a price that is right, so yes, we do make a good margin this year,” he said.

“I fed lambs (in a feedlot) two years ago and didn’t make much at all because the buy-in price was too high, but the margin is better now.”