Wilnecote Pty Ltd Harvest 2014
Geoff Rethus & family have a 4,000ha cropping program at Vectis near Horsham. Mixed crops of wheat, barley, canola, lentils, broad beans & oaten hay make up their production. This year has seen lower than normal yields with only 200mm of rain, the heaviest fall being 13mm in April. New farming techniques have improved yields even in drought years. Direct drilling was adopted by the Rethus family about 20 years ago but still 47% of the ground was being traversed by heavy machinery compacting soil. Control Traffic Farming (CTF) has reduced this traffic to just 10% of the ground. The results in improved soil structure can be shown by a moisture probe that can be easily pushed in 900mm whereas in a neighbouring, non CTF, paddock 300mm is the limit. Plant root systems are able to penetrate further, drawing moisture & nutrients from further down. This in turn builds up organic material further down encouraging roots to go even deeper.
Soil health is why Geoff along with sons Tim & Luke purchased John Deere track harvesters with 600mm wide tracks. Previous wheeled harvesters with 40psi tyre pressure produce a much larger compaction zone than the 15psi exerted by tracks. The tracks are set at 120” (approx. 3m) & all other machines run this width eliminating multiple compaction zones. The fronts used are MacDon FD75 40’ widths.
Good residue management also contributes to better soil health & is why Geoff purchased the Premium Residue Package over his previous PowerCast configuration. The overhead video shows the full 40’ dispersal width of the residue. An even spread of mulch over the ground reduces uneven nutrient tie-up associated with lumps of straw from inferior systems. Even soil fertility is the aim with an even build up of organic matter. An even crop benefits from even applications of fertilizer & spray.
We thank Geoff & family for allowing us to use this footage of their harvest.
Emmetts - Keeping farmers farming since 1957.
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