IT'S an exciting time of year when you see that of all the hard work over the season has paid off as the last crop is finally harvested.
For a community to rally together, with nine headers, five chaser bins and four or five trucks, along with all the labour of about 35 people involved for harvest, the Newdegate community celebrated another successful harvest of the Newdegate Community Cropping Group recently.
With the thirteenth crop done and dusted since the group's inception in 2008, group president David Butcher, who is a farmer from Newdegate, said it was again a "massive community effort".
"Standing out there and seeing what was happening at harvest was absolutely incredible," Mr Butcher said.
The happy spectacle also drew numerous people from around the region who weren't directly involved in the farm, but were keen to show their support.
The harvest was capped off with a barbecue in the evening which brought all different people from the community together.
But it turned out to be an impromptu harvest, having been planned for Wednesday, December 9, but with rain being forecast for then, the group decided to go early on Monday, December 7.
The troops were rallied via text message on Monday morning and by Monday afternoon there were nine headers ready to go and they finished by midday the following day.
There were even two families with three generations involved, which Mr Butcher said was a nice nod to the generational aspect of farming.
"It was a good feeling having the crop come off and all the effort from everyone pay off," he said.
"Some years aren't as busy as others, but this year we had a huge amount of people contributing and with many finishing harvest early and being close by, the stars seemed to line up."
If harvest had gone as planned on December 9, Mr Butcher said there would have been 12 headers all up, but the three machinery dealership demo headers couldn't make it at such short notice.
But needless to say it was still a standout effort from local farmers.
Mr Butcher said the group had had nine headers involved before, but it was the first time not using any from machinery dealerships.
The group leases 1200 hectares, of which 670ha was planted to Mace wheat, which yielded an average of 1.4 tonnes a hectare.
"The yield was quite reasonable for the season," Mr Butcher said.
"The crop was put in pretty late as most farmers finish their programs first before they make a start on this one, much like harvest - but the result isn't impacted by a late harvest."
The remainder of the land is used to adgist sheep.
Mr Butcher said the farm had good initial rainfall but very little in August and September.
According to the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) Newdegate Weather Station, the area received 160.8 millimetres for the growing season (May to October), while reported the 24-year average to be 214.1mm for the growing season and 340mm annually.
The group is run by a committee of 12 people and relies on the generosity of community members donating their time, labour and machinery throughout the year.
Mr Butcher said about 40 to 60 people helped out over the year, doing tasks such as pulling down fences, spraying, rock picking, seeding and harvest, which is quite an effort to co-ordinate.
"We worked out that there was probably over $10 million worth of machinery just at harvest, so it was quite a massive effort by everyone involved," he said.
"Everyone's time was donated as was the wear and tear on their machinery.
"We (the group) pay for fuel and we supply all the inputs for the farm."
Mr Butcher said community support for its inputs go a long way (towards costs), but gaining assistance from larger companies has been difficult.
"It would be great to get some strong support from fertiliser or chemical companies in donating some of their products.
"We have main road frontage so there would be the opportunity for them to have free advertising.
"We do have some support from smaller local businesses but most of the inputs we have to pay for ourselves."
The property is subleased from the Lake Grace Shire and this season was the first of a five-year lease.
"This is the first time we have had a long-term lease, which has really helped us in planning ahead," Mr Butcher said.
"It's the help of the community which makes the farm work."
Mr Butcher estimated this year's crop to be worth about $300,000 and he said the group would be putting the finds towards the Newdegate Country Club's upgrade.
Over the years the group has invested hundreds of thousands of dollars back into the community, including donations and funds towards all local sporting groups, the skate park ($270,000), school trips to Canberra, about $50,000 to the St John Ambulance and more.
As a sub committee of the Newdegate Machinery Field Days, Mr Butcher said they received strong support from the field days committee.
The Newdegate Community Cropping Group will now take a break over the holidays and will get together in early February to discuss the 2021 season to do it all again.
Lake Grace Shire president Len Armstrong said the harvest was "a bit of a godsend" for community spirit considering the year that 2020 has been, particularly with COVID-19.
"All those involved get a good kick out of doing it and provides money for the community, which is great," Mr Armstrong said.
