WIND erosion, poor performing patches in paddocks and all manner of crops and pastures were on display at the Bodallin Catchment Group Spring Field Day on Wednesday, September 14.
More than 40 farmers and industry partners explored field sites throughout Bodallin, Moorine Rock and Marvel Loch.
The group also welcomed Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) Western Panel representatives Shauna Stone, John Even, regional cropping solutions facilitator Julianne Hill and panel chair Peter Roberts.
They all attended to find out what the group was doing, seek feedback and local priorities and discuss GRDC projects.
The Wheatbelt Natural Resource Management (NRM)-supported wind erosion project, comparing different management practices, had options for every farming systems on display, considering risk management, nutrient use, maintaining ground cover – all while growing bigger crops.
The project looked at discs versus tynes, chemical fallowing and cover crops.
While visual differences weren’t strongly favouring different treatments, the demonstrations prompted intense discussion about potential effects and harvest results are eagerly awaited. Project partners included the WA No-Till Farming Association (WANTFA), ConsultAg and Department of Agriculture and Food WA (DAFWA).
As the CSIRO Realising Yield Potential project comes to an end, participants considered the size of the gap between potential and actual crop yield with Dr Yvette Oliver and Dr Michael Robertson.
By understanding what was happening in the paddocks, the potential benefits of management and amelioration, such as liming to reducing acidity, could be explored.
John and Tim Butcher, who hosted one of the sites, put in a lime trial and are working on adopting variable rate technology.
Moving out of the paddock, Shane Sander from AgVise provided a grain market and commodity update, before Steve Harris from Jurox presented on sheep treatments.
Acknowledging the fit the eastern Wheatbelt growers had found for canola in their rotations, new and old canola varieties were inspected with interest in an Elders trial, with a number of new varieties coming through.
Finally, the use of pastures in the mixed farming system and as part of the cropping rotation was explored.
Angelo Loi and Brad Nutt from DAFWA and Neil Ballard from Ballard Seeds talked the group through pasture trials, including regenerated biserulla, serradella varieties, twin and summer sowing for reducing the time lag between the crop and pasture phases and various herbicide options for pasture paddocks.
After a day celebrating true mixed farming systems in the eastern Wheatbelt, the social side of the group was also on show with a casual dinner at the Moorine Rock Hotel, with beverages courtesy of Co-operative Bulk Handling (CBH) group.
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