THE MERCURY read just 4 degrees, there was ankle deep mud and the wind could have cut glass.
However, for farmers attending last Friday’s Noradjuha Crop Walk in the southern Wimmera, it was just as enjoyable as lazing on a beach in North Queensland.
Following a run of two drought seasons and a dry autumn there was some trepidation leading into the 2016 plant despite the promising long term forecast.
Since May, however, there has been good rain, with another 12.5-20mm falling across areas to the south-west of Horsham last week and crops are currently in the best condition for several years.
Although the rainfall in the south-west Wimmera is slightly less than in other parts of the region and significantly down on tallies in areas east of Bendigo, farmers in the district, which has a 450mm average annual rainfall and heavy soils and can be prone to waterlogging over winter in wet seasons are not complaining.
Organiser of the event Lockie Wilson said the day had been designed to observe several trials early in the growing season.
The group looked at efficacy of pre-emergent selective herbicides such as Boxer Gold, compared barley varieties, weed control in canola and optimum sowing rates for the district.
He said the rain had meant a slight change in the day’s agenda as some of the dirt roads were wet, but added it was a problem the group was happy to have.
