Pennys well spent

FIFTEEN years may not seem to be a long time in a farming operation, but Wimmera farmers Cameron and Travis Penny have seen many changes to the way they operate during that time.

While there are many climate-change sceptics in the agricultural industry, the Pennys are not among them.

Cameron said their records showed that from 1995 to 2008, annual rainfall had fallen from 375mm to about 300mm.

"Most of that rain reduction has been during the growing season," he said.

"Summer rain has remained fairly constant. But our winters and springs have been pretty harsh."

Cameron and Travis farm with their father, Ian, and brother Andrew on about 4700ha of land stretching between Warracknabeal, Sheep Hills and Donald, with a further 800ha at Nullawil.

While the brothers grew up at Sheep Hills, they have expanded their farm progressively over the years.

The past 15 years have even seen changes in the type of country they are willing to buy.

"Fifteen years ago, if we were looking to buy land, we would have gone for the heavier ground, but now we look for the lighter country," Travis said.

"Modern farming methods have allowed us to farm that, with direct drill, stubble retention and not having to use much gypsum."

Other changes have been in crop types, sowing method and timing, hay production and fertiliser application.

"Most of the changes revolved around trying to lower the cost of production so we don't have to grow good crops to break even," Cameron said.

"But if you grow good crops, then that's a bonus.

"Most of what we do now is about reducing risk."

One of the keys to the Penny family's changes during the past 15 years centres on inter-row sowing using global position system equipment.

Cameron said the scale of farming during that period had meant a large farming operation warranted the outlay on equipment such as autosteer.

"And with autosteer, that, in turn, lowers your cost of production," he said.

He said inter-row sowing and stubble retention better enabled larger-scale farming because there was less time spent, so more area was covered.

Inter-row sowing also meant they did not have to find ways to get rid of the stubble.

The Pennys start sowing in April, rather than late May or even June, as had been standard practice 15 years ago.

"That's done to compensate for dry springs," Cameron said. "Late-sown crops with dry springs just don't finish."

The cropping mix had also changed as a result of a drier climate.

Cameron said that 15 years ago about 30 per cent of their cropping area was sown to grain legumes.

"But now that is about 10 per cent, most of which is lentils," he said.

"Grain legumes are dearer to grow and need a better season to produce a good crop.

"Sowing less grain legumes means we are growing more cereals.

"But it is easier now because we have more CCN (cereal cyst nematode) resistant varieties."

Growing canola had also gone by the wayside in recent years.

Cameron said they had grown only one crop of canola in the past seven years, and that was only 120ha.

The crop suffered a dry spring and was cut for hay.

He said they had still not ruled out growing canola again if the season was right.

With the heavy rain last November and more recently, the Pennys are contemplating sowing some canola this season.

"Canola is a good crop to clean up weeds," Cameron said.

"And crops sown after canola grow well.

"But you need good sub-soil moisture or a good season to grow it."

Travis said fertiliser application had also changed markedly.

"We used to pre-drill urea as a separate operation," he said.

"We were putting on a lot of urea up-front before we knew how the season was going to turn out.

"Now, we put a little bit on at sowing time and play the season.

"If the season is going OK by the end of July, we put more urea on if we think we need it.

"If not, then we save on money."

A series of droughts has also swung the Pennys back into haymaking.

In the past, they grew virtually none at all, but in more recent years, dry weather forced them into it.

When crops were failing due to dry springs, they cut them to make hay to recoup their establishment costs.

But droughts also meant dairy farmers had not produced enough fodder for their cows and were forced into buying more hay.

So grain farmers found new markets had opened up for hay.

Plus, it made weed control more effective and, in subsequent years, reduced spraying costs.

Travis said hay was now a regular part of their farming operation.

This past season, they cut more than 3000 large bales of hay.

"Fifteen years ago, people grew hay for their own use but nowadays, they grow it to market it," he said.

"It is a good drought bond: it can keep for years under cover and we sell it in drought years for cash flow.

"It's better than money in the bank."

Cameron said the type of hay had also changed during the past few years.

A decade ago, the family was growing medic for hay production.

"But it is a deep-rooted plant, so it dries out the soil quite quickly," he said.

"So we have done away with that."

The family was even growing wheat crops to cut for hay, he said.

"We had never really grown cereal crops for hay, but we got into it because we've got the markets now," Cameron said.