A LONG history of tailored topdressing, judicious crop rotation and conservation farming underscores today's successful and sustainable cropping program on the Northern Riverina property, "Glengarry".
Owned by Stewart and Gayle Day, "Glengarry" is a property of 832 hectares (2056ac) in the tightly-held Ardlethan district, where it was taken up by Mr Day's father, Royce, 44 years ago.
Managed initially with a grazing emphasis, it has been oriented towards broadacre cropping since the present owner (who also does contract farming) took over in 2000.
But for health reasons Mr Day is now ready to leave the tractor seat and pursue another less strenuous farming enterprise, resulting in "Glengarry" unexpectedly coming on the market.
It has been listed for sale with Mark Flagg of Mark Flagg Livestock and Property, Barellan, and will go to auction on March 18 at Ardlethan's London Hotel.
The offering is expected to generate strong local interest in view of the property's favoured location, manageable size, and reputation as a producer of crops yielding consistently above district average.
Although now heavily weighted towards cropping, "Glengarry" until recent years was also a source of market-topping prime lambs from a breeding flock of some 800 crossbred ewes.
Situated 24 kilometres north of Ardlethan in a region of 450mm average rainfall, "Glengarry" is a level to gently undulating property of rich red loam soils, timbered originally by kurrajong, pine and bimble box.
Just under 90 per cent of the property is classed as arable, of which 74ha is under established lucerne and 690ha is ready for winter crop sowing.
The typical winter crop mix comprises wheat, barley and canola, which last season under less-than-ideal conditions produced average yields of 2t/ha, 3.9t/ha and 1.2t/ha respectively.
The property was one of the first in the district to adopt a minimum-till cropping regime in the 1970s, and since 2000 has been farmed by zero till, using controlled traffic on three-metre centres.
Tree lines have been retained along fences and native shelter belts established.
Subdivided into eight paddocks, all having 12.2 metre (40ft) gate entries, the property features a central laneway for ease of access and livestock control, and is watered by troughs from a central tank and 11 dams.
Working improvements include a three-stand shearing shed with steel sheep yards, cattle yards, bulk grain shed, machinery shed/workshop and silos.
The comfortable four-bedroom homestead is set in established surrounds with mature trees, orchard and vegetable garden.
It features covered verandahs on three sides, a timber deck and a billiard room.
Recent local sales indicate a likely bidding range for "Glengarry" between $1500 and $1750 a hectare ($600-$700/ac).
Peter Austin
Former editor and long time columnist and property writer for The Land.
Former editor and long time columnist and property writer for The Land.
