Wow, what a busy time on the Farm. With the crops racing towards their growth spurt during spring, we have been working hard at ensuring that each paddock is free of weeds and has been provided with sufficient nutrients to grow to its potential. All of our crops look great at the moment. The feed barley is thick and healthy. Our wheat, being the last sown, is a bit behind – but shows a healthy colour. The canola is out in flower as well.
However, we need to bear in mind that the weather over the next six weeks is crucial. If rain and temperatures provide for us a ‘normal’ spring with some rain and warm sunny days, then the crops will continue towards their potential. If however, there is no rain and/or too hot or too cold, then the plants move to emergency mode where they minimise their seed set in an effort to survive. So the the next six weeks will be pivotal.
But we never know what yield we will get out of a crop until it is in the bin. And as Kenny Rogers sang in The Gambler… ‘there will be time enough for counting when the dealing’s done’. Frosts, hot dry winds, rain (too much or too little), fire and insects have all destroyed crops – right up to harvest. Such is farming.
But looking back, it is quite amazing to track the growth of the plants over the last few months. Here are a few pictures of canola as an example….
 |
This is the ‘Bank Manager’ picture. When he wants to know where all the money in the overdraft has gone, show him this picture 😉 .
Canola in full flower. It is a common sight around the district at the moment. Canola loves a cool moist time to flower and will cease flowing if temperatures grow too high and can get damaged if temperatures are too low. The longer it flowers, the more potential the crop has. We are also hosting some bee hives in our canola at the moment. Its always nice to see plants win insects in harmony. |
 |
This was the same canola only a few weeks ago at the start of flowering. Just comparing the shots, I never ceased to be amazed at the increase in plant mass which it produces over such a sort time period. |
 |
And this is what it looked like back in may. Canola starts out as such a tiny seedling and ends up as standing chest high at the end of the season. As a farmer, one of the best parts is simply watching the miracle happen. 🙂 |
Of course the spreading and spraying continues. Each day, a different job – depending upon weather conditions. Below is a shot of us loading fertiliser into our spreader from the truck. A boggy paddock left plenty of mud spread over the machinery.
And finally, There are never any shortage of interested animal helpers on our farm. And here is one of those willing helpers. Alfred (the second) always comes across to supervise the loading of the spreader.
So thats what we have been up to at ‘Loloma’. A big frost is forecast for tomorrow – something we are not really looking forward to. However, from here on in, we have just about done as much as we can for our crops and its is up to the weather to do whatever it is going to do.
Cheers
NeilK