The seasonal break in autumn was elusive, now farmers are looking to spring

Ben Langtry in southern NSW has completed his winter sowing program, with earlier sown crops already emerging.

The elusive seasonal break is taking its time this year, but one farmer says the situation isn’t dire yet.

Ben Langtry of Marrarvale Pastoral Company at Marrar in southern NSW completed his winter sowing program on May 16, and the earlier-sown crops have already emerged.

While calendar-year rainfall is behind what he would ideally like to see, he says things are ticking along well.

“We make a lot more money when it rains in spring than we do when it rains in autumn,” he said.

So far this year, he has measured 158mm of rain. This is 70mm behind last year and 165mm short of the wet season experienced when 165mm fell in the comparative period during 2022.

He was pleased with how a 50ha area of Neo barley was performing, however, was on the watch for mouse activity.

Ben said there had been some baiting by other landholders in the area but he was still taking a wait-and-see approach.

Ben Langtry of Marrarvale Pastoral Company at Marrar inspects a crop of barley. Picture: Nikki Reynolds

The barley was sown into a relatively heavy crop stubble, and there was handy soil moisture underneath.

“I am quite happy because crops are emerging well, and are out of the ground even though it is dry; that is half the battle,” he said.

“If we can keep crops alive and then get a decent spring, there is still that ballpark chance of a reasonable year,” he said.

This year, Ben has sown canola, wheat, barley and lupins in the winter planting program.

In addition to keeping an eye out for mouse activity, he has also been vigilant regarding slugs.

He said last year, slug pressure was high, especially for newly-emerged crops.

As a pre-emptive management option, he has already placed slug baits in some paddocks.