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!!!

Soil Throw with Cross Slot

Canola going in a couple of weeks ago

People often ask about Soil Throw with the Cross Slot.

 

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.

  

Cross Slot v Tyne

Wheat pulled from a Cross Slot crop compared to a Tyne crop

 

 Same soil type, 100m from each other

 

   4 years of Cross Slot                Tyne Wheat crop

           Wheat on Canola stubble             Wheat on Lupin stubble

 

   Tyne Wheat                                            Cross Slot Wheat

 

 

 

Photos courtesy of Scott Siviour, Wangary

Cross slot Crops

Cross slot crops belonging to Scott Siviour at Wangary, Eyre Peninsula

 Canola on a Lupin stubble

Mace Wheat sown @ 70kg

 Wyalkatchem sown at 70kg

Mike Cameron at Kojonup, WA, took these of his trial Oops - incorrect

These trials were done by either Scott Siviour or LEADA, will have to check

 Wyalkatchem sown with Cross slot - More biomass, less weeds 13" spacing

 Wyalkatchem sown with DBS - more weeds, less biomass 12" spacing

Waterlogged Barley

Water damaged Barley crop seems to be ticking along nicely now with a bit of sunshine over the last 2 days.

Bald patches where water sat

Natural water course that I had never seen so full, some seed did survive the flooding and has come up

There are several bald patches across the farm like this

Flooding on the farm in June 2014

The road to our house was almost totally covered with water, it was an amazing site.

Prior to this event, we had had 90.5mm during the last week of May

Then on June 12th & 13th we had another 40mm, so that was 130.5mm in 3 weeks, which is about 43% or our standard annual rainfall.

Obviously seasons vary, but generally we get about 300mm per year, sometimes up to 350mm if we're lucky.

 This rain event was really rare, hubby certainly had never seen it this wet.

Errr!! So this was our newly sown Barley paddock on June 13th

There were rapids in our driveway!! And Ducks!

This barley paddock dried out reasonably quickly, but some other paddocks still have water sitting in them

Cross slot barley rows

I've been a bit slack at 'floggin my blog' lately so will endeavour to get you some more crop pictures soon.