Darling Downs grain grower Jason Charles, Wyndella, Cambooya, reckons this summer has been the 'perfect growing season' for his sorghum crop, which will be harvested over the next couple of weeks.
He planted 200 hectares into a good moisture profile which had built up over the previous two years after receiving good rainfall on his farm which runs back to the township of Cambooya.
"Since then we have received rain at the right time and haven't needed to apply irrigation except for a partial water, but due to the good falls at the right time we turned it off as the heavens opened," Mr Charles said.
Mr Charles said it had been a mild summer which had helped the crop greatly.
"We get a lot of wind and cloud cover here and that keeps things pretty cool, so we don't get the hot days like Pittsworth and surrounding areas receive," he said.
Mr Charles farms in partnership with his father Raymond. The family have 400ha of what is regarded as some of the best farming soils on the eastern Darling Downs.
Over the summer, they planted 140ha of the Pacific Seed's Halifax variety, while the balance of their country was planted to Pacific Seeds' Resolute, Acclaim and A14.
With the crop now ready for harvest, Mr Charles predicts yields of around 7.5t/ha and hopes to return 1500t to their silos. They have also forward sold the first 200t, locked in at $327/tonne to a local grain commodity broker.
Mr Charles said there was only one thing he read wrong with the growing season and that was believing the Bureau of Meteorology's prediction of an El Nino.
"We planted at a rate of 115,000 seeds/ha to be grown under irrigation which we expected in El Nino conditions, but could have planted thicker with the season we have had," he said.
"We were cautious due to the BoM's prediction, as if you plant too thick in a dry year it doesn't yield very well."
They also planted 30ha of Green Dragon and the same area to Jade mungbeans which are powering along.
The Charles family were originally vegetable growers from the Lockyer Valley with Raymond Charles buying the Cambooya farming country in 1981.
Initially, he grew onions, potatoes and pumpkins, but over the years they have scaled back that part of the operation.
"We have made a lot of money from growing onions over the years but have scaled back as there is no money in it, as every vegetable grower tries to grow them," he said.
Wheat will be planted in the winter into fallow country.
Helen Walker
Helen is the Toowoomba-based journalist who loves nothing better than covering anything horse sport related, however she covers all commodities and personality yarns. Over the years she has lived in Brisbane, Rockhampton, Longreach and Roma filing stories for the 'bible of the bush'. Contact 0459 827414.
Helen is the Toowoomba-based journalist who loves nothing better than covering anything horse sport related, however she covers all commodities and personality yarns. Over the years she has lived in Brisbane, Rockhampton, Longreach and Roma filing stories for the 'bible of the bush'. Contact 0459 827414.
