Still waiting for rain.....

Well its now been 7 days since we last had the seeder in the paddock, though we are not sitting around idly, we have been burning chaff cart heaps. The chaff cart which we pull behind our header ( harvester) was made by a local engineering company, and  has been an amazing tool for us on our farm. Anything that saves  having to rely so heavily on chemicals for weed removal is great. They can collect up to 80% of ryegrass seeds. The only problem is in the removal of the heaps, I dread it every year. They can burn from anything from 1-4 days, and the smoke creates a social impact on all surrounding rural communities. (I'll appologise now to all our neighbours) Also a fire risk to neighbouring paddocks. By Law they must be pushed over so they are no higher than 40cm. This year we have had sheep on agistement in some of the paddocks, they managed to flatten the heaps for us. I was initially worried about the sheep spreading the ryegrass seed around the paddock, but after doing research the amount that is still viable as a seed when it passes through them, is very little.

Burning chaff heaps

This is probably as good a time as possible to mention that Ben and I have a difference of opinion on nearly everything that happens on the farm. From marketing grain to what crops to plant. We are very competative and even compete to see who can burn chaff cart piles the quickest, who can sow a paddock the neatest,or can capture the best grain prices and so on and on!!! We have been having discusions for the last few days on wether to start sowing again or not, but came to the mutual decision not to.
 The  thing is Ben and I chose to live and work togther, so I can only imagine what it is like for siblings that are on the farm together who do not entirely see eye to eye, which is a  problem in so  many farming families.

Our delivery of UAN ( liquid nitrogen) also arrived this week, which was great, as we were told that there was a national shortage. We now have about 37,000 litres  on farm, which is about a quarter of what we will use this year.

Soil testing was also carried out by our Agronomist Steve Watts last week, we try to test as close to seeding as possible so the results are as relevent  as can be for the growing crops, as we base our nitrogen requirements on each individual paddocks results.

This is a deep 60cm soil sample showing soil profile in one particlar paddock

We had Steve  out yesterday checking out some weeds and also mouse action, so unfortunatly we are baiting some paddocks before seeding now as they are heavily infested, the first paddock we sowed is coming up now and that is getting its second baiting, just around the borders.

Well its forcast for rain wed/ thur next week so lets see what happens, we will start seeding a couple of days before hand if its looks certain. Then I suppose we will be pulling some very long hours to try and make up some lost time.

 Canola 7 days after it was sown

 wheat just 4 days after it was sown