Chris Bell

Well done Baz, modern farming systems have certainly enabled some significant WUE gains. Increasing the reliability of establishing crop when it’s sown is a key management focus for us here. There will be a big yield difference between broadleaf crops established in April and those that had to wait until the break at the end of June. 👍

@chrisbell_2 @brodenholland Hi belly, I used 30% fallow rain (Nov to March) + gsr - 110mm. Crop averaged 2.3t on wheat stubble. About 30% of gsr was in oct when the crop had pretty much finished. Modern farming systems really kicking goals this year where crop came up in April.

Busy week, Lucerne bailed and beans sprayed, silly season kicking off, most likely windrowing next week

@agrobaz @brodenholland 25% of Nov-March rain Baz?? If so 12.5kg is a great result. 12.5kg/mm with 25% pre crop rain and 110 evap would put us at 1.12t/ha.

@brodenholland Canola all done here before a big storm Friday night 👌. 12.5kg/mm inc Nov and Dec fallow rainfall 👍

Successful spring field day & a big thank you to our host growers. ✅ Legume diversity for productive farming systems ✅ Soil pH and amelioration strategies ✅ Exploring soil health & whole farm profit ✅ Mixed farming systems for sustainably high production #sustainag

We are hosting our 2025 Spring Field Day in conjunction with Echidna Ag. The day will focus on legume diversification within the rotation, exploring soil health properties whilst maintaining production and maximising productivity within a range of farming systems. All growers are welcome and RSVP’s are required for catering purposes. Hope to see you there.

We are hosting our 2025 Spring Field Day in conjunction with Echidna Ag. The day will focus on legume diversification within the rotation, exploring soil health properties whilst maintaining production and maximising productivity within a range of farming systems.

Hopefully some rain this week, but despite decile 2 GSR & <6mm of rain in 2 separate events over the past 4 weeks, residue cover here has helped keep moisture to the top. Whilst it can be a challenging system, it can bring value when executed well. #Sustainag #Neobarley #44Y94CL

Lupins showing their resilience. Partially swollen when sown into marginal moisture, now emerging with follow up rainfall 6 weeks after sowing.

Canola that established at sowing enjoyed a much needed 25mm of rain. Hopefully we see the remainder of the paddock in 7-10 days. Will make grass spray timing interesting, every year brings different challenges.

Missed any rain over the weekend which is obviously disappointing but the conditions in which some modern farming systems can establish crop in is pretty amazing. Probably won’t be 100% uniform establishment but last rain greater than 15mm was the 6th of January.

@RichardHallett8 @BarryGr66 A couple of legume crops sown into similar residue.

My thoughts exactly. You need to be able to use all tools in the toolkit. So I was interested when I saw that drilling job into that dense stubble! We aim to minimise tillage wherever possible (who likes burning diesel?!) but we till where necessary in order to sustain elite level yields (cereals + 9t). We’re currently reintroducing a strategic deep tyne/cultivator tillage operation every 3-4yrs if necessary in some paddocks

Not a lot of surface moisture anywhere for establishment. 2 growers finding a little bit under heavy stubble cover. It’s very soil type dependent and won’t be enough for uniform establishment.

Richard, some of Barry’s points are very valid and sowing into residue like this certainly has the potential to be problematic without a very detailed understanding of all the variables affecting the system. These growers are both sowing pulse crops into cereal residue of this density and is generally the only crop type that we would sow into this type of residue. Allows early sowing to help with residue management for adequate seed soil contact and helps mitigate early vigour disadvantages of the high residue load. High C:N ratio favouring net Nitrogen immobilisation generally doesn’t cause N fertility issues with legume crops. The rest of the rotation ensures that we are not reliant on soil applied pre-em herbicides for this phase of the rotation. I fully understand that this does not suit everyone or every environment. The growers I work with certainly do not have a rigid adherence to an ideology of a fully residue retained farming system. There are many tools that don’t fit this ideology that we are happy to utilise when appropriate. We farm in a low-med rainfall environment and removing this residue prior to sowing pulse crops historically has resulted in extremely bare paddocks after harvest with minimal summer moisture retention and a low probability of establishing the following crop at the time of sowing without timely rainfall. Residue like this has allowed us to more reliably establish the crop when sown, although this year just not quite enough rainfall to conserve at the surface.

@RichensBrad Enjoy the break Brad 👍

Just getting ready for a week on a houseboat at Renmark SA ,bloody great spot 👍🚤🍷

@grassrootsag @NorthPaddock Enjoy the trip Greg, it’s a great place to see Agriculture 👍

A privilege to visit @NorthPaddock in Taber, Alberta 🇨🇦 Currently sorting & hauling potatoes to the processor after harvest. Operation is focused on rotations that complement irrigated potatoes. Winter covers, hay, seed canola & wheat in the mix. Thanks Alison, Michael & team

Glufosinate mixes do work on annual ryegrass resistant to clethodim, glyphosate, paraquat, bixlozone (low level). All options tested post-emergence 12th June 24; 18/10C; ~350mm rain since; Mt Barker WA. First photos here: Untreated vs best treatment - 12 WAT. [thread 👇]

Maximus CL and Neo CL side by side. Neo’s plant architecture may offer some competition advantages if its other characteristics fit the system. Maximus doing nothing wrong and also looking strong.

Canola on BM legume going to be hard to beat again. Legume nitrogen allowing us to prioritise urea elsewhere while waiting for the next load. Will get a bit more urea in the next couple of days. #44Y94CL

We have had a very fortunate start where I am Kithsiri, although not all the east has been as fortunate, with many areas only recently receiving rain since sowing. I am aware of the situation for you guys in the West & hoping it improves soon. I’ll keep you updated on the variety performance.

@chrisbell_2 What the nature can do? You guys are lucky compare to West. We need more RF. Update us how Maximus vs Neo preforming this season.

A couple of Maximus CL / Neo CL comparisons. Pic1 Disc sown Maximus Pic2 Disc Neo Pic3 Tyne Maximus Pic4 Tyne Neo. Sunshine following the recent rain has made for a good start for many barley crops in my area. Good early biomass with relatively low foliar disease pressure. @RichensBrad @Joshuabell_04

Canola enjoying a bit of N in front of 20mm of rain. Residue cover has kept the top pretty damp in between rains. Thought we’d beaten the slugs this year, the downside of keeping the surface moist and covered. #PY520TC @Joshuabell_04