Nolans work up the right mix

Luke Nolan and his father Nick farm 800 hectares between their property Noralla in the Gladfield Valley and another property in the Goomburra Valley, on the eastern Darling Downs.

The Nolans also operate a feedlot and breed Thoroughbreds.

In Luke Nolan's words, the "businesses complement each other".

"The grain and beef complement each other because we can grow all our own cereal crops so we're not as exposed to the fluctuations in the grain market that have been happening," he said.

"Our hay also complements the horse and cattle job."

They have a small feedlot in the Gladfield Valley and recently built a 500-head feedlot on their Goomburra property.

Their feedlot cattle are mainly sourced from store sales and they have a small breeding herd.

"We try to go for mainly Santa Gertrudis or Angus cattle, or that sort of cross," Mr Nolan said.

"We generally buy in weaners and feedlot them, but if the market deems we sell grain rather than feed, we'll do that."

This year the Nolans planted 160ha of winter crop, including 56ha of Sunco, barley and oats.

They had good rain to plant on, applied 39millimetres of additional water through pivot irrigation and received a further 25mm of rain.

By planting later in the season, they were able to avoid the damaging frosts experienced by many farmers in southern Queensland.

“It was planted at the end of the second week of June,” Luke Nolan said.

“We planted a bit later than we would have liked – we normally go in the first week – but I think that has helped us a little bit to doge the frosts.

“It’s all looking very good, as long as we can dodge the hailstorms now we’ll be right.”

They expect to harvest their barley in the next two to three weeks, while the wheat will be harvested in the second half of November.

The Nolans have spent much of 2013 repairing damage caused by flooding on Australia Day.

Their country also suffered damage from a 2010-11 deluge.

In January, the paddock where the wheat now stands was completely underwater.

"We got smashed by the Australia Day floods down here - it was just like a sea.

"Pretty well all our fencing had to be replaced and the steel fencing just got knocked straight over.

"It took a lot of rebuilding. We had contractors help us with the fencing and we did all the earthworks ourselves. We're just finishing it now."

As well as losing topsoil, they have picked up weeds from neighbouring properties.

Mr Nolan wryly said it "sort of worked out".

"You get everyone else's topsoil and weeds and all yours go down to someone else. We were pretty clean but since 2010-11 and Australia Day we're forever spraying.

"We use Pursehouse Rural in Allora. They're pretty good and there's not a weed in it now."

Despite the challenges associated with farming, it's in the blood for Mr Nolan.

He wanted to become a farmer ever since he was a young boy.

"There's nothing else that compared to it for me. I finished school, came back here and I've been here ever since - I'm still loving it."

He and his wife Michelle, along with their young children Nick and Emily, understand the challenges of many young farming families. They are convinced there is a future in farming.

"It's a shame there are not more younger farmers back on the land. It makes you wonder what's going to happen in 20 or 30 years' time.

"There'll be a big knowledge drain when a lot of the older farmers start to retire. There'll be plenty of farms around for young farmers then."

He said a first farm allowance, similar to the Queensland Government's first home buyer grant, might be one way to encourage the younger generation to enter the industry.

"I think there should be more incentives to make it easier for young people to come back on the land and buy land.

"It's very difficult if you're just a bloke wanting to go and buy a farm. The capital that's got to go into it makes it a bit prohibitive."

With the floods now behind them and repairs completed, this resilient family is hoping for rain and a good season ahead.