Careful weed management has been a focus for Wallendbeen grain growers, Michael and Natalie Wilkinson, who were the 2017 Agricultural Societies Council Suncorp Bank Championship Field Wheat and Durum Wheat Competition state winners.
The finalists, from across the state, gathered in Dubbo on Friday night for the awards presentation.
Out to third place for each region was acknowledged, as was the excellence award for a farming operation that demonstrated a high level of overall farm management.
This went to Robert, Amanda and Sophie Woods, Limeboon Partnership, “Gum Holes”, Boggabilla.
The Wilkinsons, meanwhile, scored a total of 201 points for their Condo wheat.
The husband and wife duo lease and manage “Netherby”, owned by a director run business, Stockingbingal Pastoral Company, the farm being at Wallendbeen.
They crop a total of 769 hectares of the 1558ha farm with a wheat/canola rotation.
This year’s winning crop averaged 7.3 tonnes a hectare with 12.6 per cent protein. Some of the crop was sold as soon as it was harvested and, while this portion had shot and sprung, it made $246 a tonne. The rest was stored on farm.
They grow their crops with the assistance of agronomist, Mark Golder, Landmark Cootamundra, who helps with the tissue sampling and soil testing.
Mr Wilkinson said their agronomist also worked closely with them on their farm plan, in which they reviewed the past five years and used that, with the tissue sampling and soil test results, to tweak and plan ahead for the next five years.
The Wilkinsons do all the farm work themselves, with the exception being when their daughters, Montanna, 16, and Maci, 13, are home from Yanco Agricultural High School.
Stubble burning and double knock applications are important methods to keep on top of weed seeds and they also spray Roundup across the canola three days before windrowing.
Mr Wilkinson said the canola trash was also windrowed so it could be burned.
“In conjunction with the Roundup, it’s working well,” he said.
These measures are taken to especially target rye grass weed seed because the farm has a history of group A herbicide resistance.
Pre-sowing sprays include a hit with Roundup, followed by either Gramoxone or Paraquat to take out any plants that might survive the initial spray.
Mr Wilkinson also used Barry Dickinson, Camden, one of the pastoral company’s directors, as a regular sounding board for daily decisions on the farm.
Second to the Wilkinsons in the southern region were Charlie and Rebecca Bragg, “Landgrove”, Cootamundra, on 185 points using Condo, and third was Peter and Shannon Corbett, “Springhill”, Old Junee (179, Gregory).
Glen and Rachael Fernance, “Boomerang”, Bellata, were the winners of the northern region on 178 points using Lancer. Second was Nigel and Sue Guest, “Couradda”, Narrabri (161, Lancer), and third was David Smith, “Bristol”, Croppa Creek (147, Lancer).
The western region was won by Alan Ridley and Tim Boardman, “Myrtlevale”, Burcher, on 170 points with Wedgetail, second was Sandy Day, “Quamby”, Lockhart (146, Trojan), and third was Quinn and Cruickshank, “Merrydale”, Ganmain (145, Lancer).
Evan Wilson, Forbes, was first in the central region on 180 points using Lancer, second was Ben and Tom Johnstone, Illinois Farms Pty Ltd, “Woodlands”, Cowra (175, Kiora), and third was James Badgery, “Talawanta”, Willow Tree (169, Suntop).
The durum judging, held across the central and northern regions, was won by Mike and Mal Prowse, “Gwendalan”, Blackville, with a total of 172 points using Jandaroi.
Second was Michael and Richard Bowler, Wheatacres Partnership, “Kemendine”, Tamworth (169, Lillaroi), and third was “Lambrook”, Mullaley, managed by James Vince, of Lambrook Pastoral Company (168, Lillaroi).
The competition is sponsored by SunCorp Bank, Lowes Petroleum Services, Stoller and The Land.
