AS much of the State is facing prolonged dry conditions, Balla farmers Raylene and Brad Burns’ family are remaining positive in what is looking to be a repeat of the 2006 season, however they believe the season is not yet a write-off.
Raylene said in 2006 a solid 212 millimetres of summer rainfall put the crops on track but dismal winter rains – where the highest rainfall recorded was 13mm on July 25 – meant that for the entire season “we were about 5mm short the entire time for a good year”.
It was a 17mm rainfall in September that meant they could still harvest a 500 kilogram per hectare wheat crop.
“It was terribly cruel,” she said.
This year the farm received about 150mm of summer rainfall but there was nothing in the gauge in April and 7-16mm in late May.
Last week a maximum of 2.6mm fell on parts of the farm.
Brad said looking back over his diaries provided key insights into how they managed their seasons then compared to now.
“In 2006 we were a lot slower in making the decision to put a crop in and then actually putting it in,” he said.
“We didn’t start seeding until late because it was half wet and half dry and then we did bits and pieces until July 25 just to try and cover paddocks.
“But what is really interesting for guys who are umming and ahhing about getting paddocks covered now from going through my diaries is that there wasn’t a lot of difference between the yields of the earlier stuff and what we put through in July.”
That year was also the family’s start of the three-year process to divest of livestock and 2007 also proved to be a challenging year.
“So many of our management decisions back then related to stock and now I can’t emphasise enough that you’ve got to keep them in good nick,” Brad said.
“It cost us a lot in time and money but you have to keep them in shape and get rid of them as soon as you can before that price starts to taper off.”
Following a good season in 2008, Brad said the farm recovered quickly but diary entries from the previous two years showed it was a tough time for the family.
“One of the strongest messages that I could take out of 2006 and 2007 is that we got out of that unbelievably quickly and by 2008 we were back on track and then we had good years in 2009, 2010 and 2011,” he said.
“The diaries are handy because you can read a mood and see how you’re travelling and looking back when I read the 2006 diaries it was obviously really hard yards whereas in 2007 it was almost as tough but we seemed to handle it a bit better,” he said.
“You do reach a level of acceptance and I think that is where I am now – it is what it is, you back off, pull every input you can and just don’t spend money.
“That’s where the younger guys are a little different – the inputs keep going on but you can get away with not doing a lot – you don’t need much to grow a lighter crop and it’s all about margins.”
This year the family is doing just that.
Of the 5000 hectares cropped annually, about 300ha was left off this year to focus on the better performing paddocks and they have held back on upfront nitrogen applications, waiting to see if the season turns around.
“By mid-May you get an idea pretty quick when there was nothing in those 10-day forecasts so we started pulling fertiliser rates and increase seed rates due to the lack of moisture but there’s nothing much else you can do,” Brad said.
“There are ways and means of catching up on it and you’re probably not going to catch up on the full 100pc of the potential but this game is all about compromises – you want to play that nitrogen card as late as possible.”
During the tougher seasonal conditions, both Raylene and Brad said it was about keeping busy, with tough years providing the best excuse to get on top of the never-ending jobs lists – sorting the filing cabinet, cleaning out the shed or taking on a fitness challenge with a daily walk – although Raylene quipped “go when it’s early when the crops look good and best to stay out of the uglier paddocks”.
Keeping in touch with friends and neighbours is also crucial – through weekly catch-ups, grower group meetings or just checking in with a phone call.
“There are going to be some paddocks that are just awful in a year like this and you have to accept that,” she said.
“Do a few jobs that at the end you can feel a sense of achievement, stuff that help you bounce back or be front of the game to recover well from the poor year.”
Brad said taking a long-term view also helped keep the poorer seasons in perspective.
“If you look back over the rainfall I reckon about two out of 10 are pretty tough here, two are pretty solid ones and six range from dry to average – it is hard to run a line through it but I reckon a two out of 10 are where you really need to make some good solid management calls on how you do it.
“You can get strung up on week by week stuff – you get so strung up on it not raining that week but over five or 10 years, it can be a solid game to be in.”
