Wimmera farmer Nick Petrie takes advantage of rain to work ground ahead of winter cropping

A Wimmera farmer took advantage of recent rainfall to prepare his paddocks for winter cropping, working up the ground to manage summer weeds.

The air seeder has already been going in Nick Petrie’s Wimmera paddocks - but it’s not to start sowing early.

The St Arnaud grower took the opportunity to work up some ground after around 33mm of rain fell on Sunday and Monday.

It’s not something he would usually do, but the conditions were extremely dry. After the rain, it was considered an ideal opportunity to work up the ground and allow summer weeds to germinate.

Nick runs a 50:50 sheep and cropping operation with 1800ha designated to crop, and a flock of 2200 ewes.

He said the rain was welcome, as it had been quite dry in the area, with dams getting low and limited stock water available.

“We worked up those paddocks with the air seeder to try and stop the dust from blowing off them,” he said.

Nick Petrie feeds sheep, but he’s grateful for recent falls of 30mm of rain. Picture: Zoe Phillips

“It has done a reasonable job, and in another week or so, we will see a bit of (weed) germination.”

Once the weeds germinate, Nick will take the opportunity to spray them with a knockdown herbicide and prepare for winter sowing.

“The use of the airseeder was just a chance to bring up some weeds,” he said.

“It really was a bit of a one-off.”

The plan is to start sowing on April 20, and the winter cropping plan consists of canola, barley and wheat.

However, if the opportunity presents itself, some dual-feed crops for sheep fodder are sown earlier.

“St Arnaud is very dry, and people welcome rain at any time. Dams are getting low, and we could really use rain,” he said.