GARAH barley growers Andrew and Jodie Crowe's farming philosophy is simple: grow what your land can produce and the market wants.
On Sunbury, situated north of Moree, NSW, on the north west plains, that is malt barley for the domestic beer brewing industry.
"This year we're hoping to achieve a yield of about two and a half tonnes a hectare, and our water probe system tells us that's achievable," Mr Crowe said.
"We grow predominately Gairdner because that's what the local industry wants, and we work on supplying what the customer wants.
"If our malt industry wants Gairdner then Gairdner it is and we've got enough good chemistry available to enable that consistent production."
This year has seen little in-crop rainfall on the Crowe's barley crop, but Mr Crowe says they are still on target to produce the 2.5t/ha.
As the crop entered grain-filling, he was planning an early-October harvest and is on track for timely delivery.
The heavy, black, self-mulching soil and naturally treeless plain have proved ideal for barley production, and the grain is delivered about 80km to central facilities en-route to Brisbane or Tamworth malting plants.
"Monocultures are a bit dangerous to grow because they can breed disease, but we've got some fantastic broad-spectrum fungicides on the market and we use them in conjunction with residue control measures, including stubble breakdown agents," Mr Crowe said.
He said maintaining soil structure is paramount to the operation.
"Without good soil structure, we have trouble getting the water to go into the ground so we're very keen to see the soil grab the moisture that is collected.
"The harder the crop works and the more it opens the ground, the better our soil structure gets - it's pretty important for us to get the ground cracking out, because it's our pathway for the next crop."
Mr Crowe said the "beautifully bred" barley plants set high targets if fed too much nitrogen early in the season, so he restricts nutrition early in the crop growth.
"We try to trick the barley into thinking things aren't so good early in the piece and as soon as it has set a tiller load we are happy with, we'll start to feed it with nitrogen according to conditions each year."
He uses electronic water probes, AquaSpy units, placed around the farm for different soil profiles, which report back to a server showing exactly what water profiles are at specific depths.
"We can see the crop drawing that moisture down and we know exactly how far what the rooting depth is and how many days water use we have left. Then we can target our nitrogen fertiliser and keep the nitrogen-water balance that is so important in grain quality."
Based on this information, Mr Crowe can wind expenses up or down in an operation that is very cost-orientated.
"If you've only got water to grow a 1.5t/ha crop, you can tailor your inputs and likewise, if you've got enough for a 4t/ha crop.
"It's a basic tool that helps you know with some sort of certainty where you are headed," he said.
He says the investment of around $4000 governs cropping decisions worth $400,000.
Seeing their levies invested in Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC)-supported research is another investment the Crowes are passionate about.
"GRDC has been instrumental in this operation because we started growing barley based on a GRDC-funded variety trial and from that, we garnered that barley was head and shoulders the best crop to grow under these conditions," Mr Crowe said.
"Then we set about working out how to grow barley on a more consistent basis and the GRDC fungicide program was important in that.
"There are so many ways the GRDC has benefited our operation, it is amazing. GRDC has achieved some great research and it's a credit to the organisation."
Mr Crowe said the focus for successful farming operations is information and how well that is shared with partners, including bankers, grain traders or agronomists.
"When you have fantastic information lines and the ability to share that information, it gives those around you the confidence to move with you.
"Some farmers are reticent to believe that they are good at what they are doing, but one of the ways you can prove that to those around you is by using this information to state your case, and that's a real 'go forward' step."
He can now approach the bank manager and show he has the moisture to grow the crop with forecasts substantiated by electronic moisture probe data.
"Guesswork is not pretty. You don't want too many rude surprises. We can't control frost events or harvest disasters but it's good to have some solid communication streams from the office."
