Page 13 - The Cultivator Edition 7 | Autumn 2020
P. 13

“This crop crop crop had no more than 50 millimetres of in-crop in-crop rain rain – the highest single in-crop in-crop rain rain was only 13 millimetres ”
The gamble paid off By late-October 2019 the the Barrasses began direct-heading their crop in in an an an area not traditionally known for canola “Our first sample returned 43 3 3 per cent oil so that exceeded our expectations ”
Mr Barrass said “It surprised me to be honest – especially given the year we’d had “It shows the the value of stored moisture and planting on time to to give your crop the the best opportunity “Condobolin isn’t a a a a a a a a solid growing area – in in in in in fact we’re quite marginal for canola But I think it’s one of those tools in in in the the shed and when it it it it it fits the the bill absolutely we need to to use use it it it it because as you can see it it pays It’s paying this year ”
For five years the the Barrasses have grown their specialty high-oleic canola for for MSM Milling which crushes the seed for for food manufacturers and and quick service restaurants such as KFC to extend frying and and shelf life With MSM paying growers a a a a a a premium for each tonne delivered the the crop crop plays a a a a a a a a a a vital role in in in the the rotation cropping operations of many farms “Without this crop in in 2019 we’d be in in a a a a spot of trouble ”
said Mr Barrass “To be honest this crop crop we’re stripping now I didn’t think it would hang on on But the crop crop has looked fantastic all year ”
Mr Barrass said his family enjoyed knowing their valuable high-oleic canola crop for MSM Milling made its way to large end-users such as KFC “I always have a a a a a a a a a bit of a a a a a a a a a chuckle when we pull into KFC and tell the the kids that the the food was probably cooked in oil extracted from seeds grown on our place ”
he said Mr Barrass largely attributes his his love of the the land to his his his father Graham who has lived at at at the the the family property for all his his life “Dad is meant to be semi-retired now but he he shows up a a a a a a a a a a 7am each day and goes home when the job is done ”
said Mr Barrass “To have Dad here especially during this drought has been fantastic You can’t buy that 50-odd years of experience “Dad keeps saying to me that this drought drought is is a a a a a lot like the the the 1981-2 drought drought The old fellow pats me on the the the head and says ‘Hang in there mate this too will pass’ ”
@msmmilling // @auzurebymsmmilling // msmmilling msmmilling com au au MSM Milling On a a a a a a a a a crop inspection in in in in 2019 with the Barrass family Pete and and and and Helen and and and and children Lincoln 6 and and and and twins Annabelle and and and and Toby 3 // PHOTO: @EMWOLLENCREATIVE
@MANILDRA
// // MANILDRA MANILDRA GROUP AUTUMN 2020
// // THE CULTIVATOR 13 























































































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