What is happening on your farm at the moment?  There are many jobs that need doing at this time of year, especially as harvest is looming on the horizon for many areas of the state.  It’s a busy time of the year, with hay cutting and baling, preparing livestock for the warmer months, and getting harvesting equipment and machinery ready for harvest.  Another important job that needs to be factored in to this busy time, but can quite easily be put to the side, is giving consideration to and beginning to think about next seasons cropping plans.

The lead up to harvest, and harvest time itself is a great opportunity to reflect on the things that have happened this year.  You are able to see what has worked for you, and what has not.  For example, you might have sown some of the crop dry; altered fertiliser rates on different soil types or paddocks; seen that one variety has performed better than another, tried a different chemical for weed control; or even tried applying foliar nutrients.  All of these things can be noted down now, for consideration later next season.

Probably the more important part of the planning process though, is what you will be sowing in which paddocks next season.  Knowing this means that you are prepared to keep enough seed for next season, and the best seed can be kept at harvest.  More detailed plans can then progress from there next season.  For those farmers continually cropping with a set rotation, the basis of their plan is already formed.  They know well in advance which paddocks are likely to have which crop next season, even what crops are likely in 2 and 3 years time!  For those farmers with variations of a crop and pasture rotation, cropping paddocks for next season should be picked out now, so that enough seed etc can be kept off the header.

It goes without saying that even the best laid plans can change, and you’d expect to make changes to your cropping plan a number of times before sowing next season’s crop.  One such reason for changing cropping plans would be discovery of any weeds that may have been missed or indeed not controlled during the season by herbicides.  The ‘birds eye view’ of each paddock that you get from the seat on the harvesting machine gives you one of the best opportunities to get a good look over each paddock, and an opportunity to asses your plans for next season and make changes as necessary.

AUTHOR: Grant Johnson, Sustainable Agricultural Systems Consultant, Rural Solutions SA

CONTACT: Grant Johnson, Rural Solutions SA Murray Bridge Office, Telephone - (08) 8535 6402