General Comments (September 2015)

The wet August with above average rainfall was a reminder of how August used to be, wet, with rivers and creeks running full. It has been said that the subsoil needs to be wet at the end of August to have any chance of having a decent spring. Soil water is usually depleted after the end of August, rather than being added to.

September has seen a major turnaround though, with below average rainfall, coupled with below average temperatures. Who knows what October will bring; most indications point to it being drier rather than wetter. At this point in time, a frost event in mid to late October is the biggest risk to crops.

Pastures have welcomed the wetter winter, with improved perennial grass species again producing significantly more feed that annual based pastures. High livestock and wool prices have continued to reward those producers who have persevered with livestock enterprises. While the gross income from mixed farming operations will likely be less than that from full cropping-only operations, the net mixed farm income is more stable, indicating that mixed farming operations have a lower risk profile.