Harvest is underway

Well I haven't 'flogged the blog' for a long time! It has been severely neglected over the past 2 years. Basically, the internet was so slow I just lost interest, it was too hard!

The new NBN satellite is much quicker, not perfect and still not enough download for what we want to spend, but still, things are better.

Harvest is cruising along, it took ages to get going due to spring rains that left the crop green and not ready for reaping at the usual time- which is a good complaint!

Wheat in pictures below is still to be harvested but we'll get there!

So our input costs are more than last year, but the price we get for our grain this year is significantly less than the prices over the past few years. 

It's quite disheartening when you have some good yielding crops for a change, but the price is such that our gross income will be down due to world grain prices. #farmers are #gamblers

Cross Slot Conference 2015

#crossslot #epag Almost 2 months since the 2015 Cross Slot Farm Tour and I haven't 'flogged my blog' with the photos from the tour on Eyre Peninsula.

It was an interesting, informative event and hubby and I thoroughly enjoyed meeting everyone, thanks for visiting this part of the world Cross Slot owners. We'll see you in the UK next year with any luck!

Modra Seeds, Ungarra

 

Lunch at local Clubs - this one is the Ungarra Sports Club

 

At our place, Garry talking about our liquid setup

Tuna Steak cook off at the Boston Bay Winery, Port Lincoln

Visiting Bruce Morgan, Board member of SANTFA

Scott & Cassie Siviour's place at Wangary

Farewell Dinner at Port Lincoln Hotel, Me with John Baker

The Kiwi's love the Karaoke!!!

Barley looks good

Our 1st year with a @crossslot seeder bar and we're happy with the result so far.
Its been a crappy season though with flooding in June/July and only 14.5mm over Aug/Sept & about 3mm in late Oct.

 

The Barley still has some greenery to it at this late stage. 

 

 

 

Barley looks quite heavy so fingers crossed it will yield well. 

 

We will finish windrowing our Canola tomorrow. Unfortunately the Canola is not very exciting this year with our odd seasonal factors and the possible presence of Beet Western Yellow Virus. So we are counting on the Barley to bring home the bacon! 

 

We didn't grow Wheat this year due to a Copper deficiency in our soil, but will have another go at it next year. Especially now that we have implemented our liquid trace elements system.

  

Machinery Height - do you actually know how close the Powerlines are?

I did some sums on the safe clearance distance for powerlines in my local area of Eyre Peninsula, SA.

A high number of the powerlines on Eyre Peninsula are attached to the older, shorter 9m poles. (many SWER lines, 19000v)

With areas on Eyre Peninsula getting into temperatures of 45-48 degrees or more at times, the powerlines droop in this extreme heat.

Currently, ETSA do not attend to this type of powerline unless it is drooping below 5.5m in height.

The illustration above is a calculation of our Header height, including tyres, aerials etc.

It shows clearly that we can easily exceed the safe clearance distance, especially in summer when the lines droop in the heat.

I guess the main thing to do is be aware of this scenario, especially when:

• Extending your auger to unload
• Travelling under powerlines with a  full box
• Parking the machine to get out
• And when purchasing new machinery

 It is surprising how close we actually come to this electricity risk. 

      Safe Clearance Distances as per the Electricity Regulations 2012:

Voltage	Clearance distance in all directions (in metres)
Under 11 000 volts	0.6
19 000 volts (SWER)	0.9
33 000 volts	0.9
66 000 volts	1.4
132 000 volts	2.4
275 000 volts	3.2
330 000 volts	4.6
500 000 volts	5.5

Aussie Harvest Video by Charlie, aged 14

Anna Binna Pty Ltd 2013 Harvest: http://youtu.be/5R5W8LtRgIs

Great video of Harvest near Ardrossan on Yorke Peninsula, South Australia, well done Charlie, great footage.