All family hands on deck at Mukinbudin for better-than-expected crop

A harvest full of “pleasant surprises” is finally in full swing at Jeff Seaby’s Mukinbudin farm after November rainfall caused a stop-start few weeks. Mr Seaby could not be happier to be in the paddocks with his two sons-in-laws and two workers, and was in the cab busily harvesting wheat this week. “We weren’t really sure what we were going to get this harvest until we got the header in the paddock, but we have had a pleasant surprise,” he said. “The yields are better than expected, and the quality is actually a lot better than we expected this year, even after that November rain.” A year of patchy rainfall at Mr Seaby’s farm kicked off with about 100mm in February, with the family launching an extensive spraying program before starting to seed their whole program into dry soil in April and May. Mr Seaby said things were looking “pretty dry” until season-saving rain in August boosted their spirits after just 5mm fell in September, dashing their hopes of a near-record season after solid rainfall in July. “That August rain saved us, because what was looking like a good season was going down the plug-hole very quickly,” he said. A third-generation farmer, Mr Seaby said he could not be happier to have the fifth generation of the farming family — his three grandchildren — on the farm. Mr Seaby farms with wife Tracey and the couple’s daughters Dale and Ellen, as well as their respective husbands Derick Cronje and Cam White. Dale and Derick moved back to the farm in 2011, and Ellen and Cam in 2015. They also have two workers, Matt York and Ross Underwood. “From having no sons to take over the farm, I now have two daughters home and their husbands here,” Mr Seaby said. “There is nothing quite like working with your kids. It gives me a sense of satisfaction.” After rolling the header out of the shed and into the paddock in the last week of November, the family have been in and out of the cab of the truck and header, like most of WA’s grain farmers, due to unseasonal thunderstorms. More than 27mm of rain has fallen at the town of Mukinbudin this month, the third-highest monthly rainfall total this year aside from the 81mm in February and 37mm in August, with falls of about 20mm in May, June and July. Mr Seaby said he felt fortunate to have missed out on the 87mm that fell at Bonnie Rock this month, after farmers in that area north of him recorded just 3mm in September and 1mm in October. “We haven’t had a great run with all the rain, but we didn’t have anywhere near as much as those a bit further north,” Mr Seaby said. “As soon as we get out of the header, we will be getting into the sprayer. “Calthrop and melons are popping up everywhere after the rain.” While wheat is the “bread and butter” at Mr Seaby’s farm, the family also put in a small amount of barley and lupins this year. Mr Seaby said the barley had yielded about average, and while the lupins had yielded “terribly” at about 500g/ha, the grain would be retained on-farm for handy sheep feed, while the lupin plants had restored some nitrogen into the soil. After a “shocking” year last year, Mr Seaby said he was feeling pretty good about harvest this year,with plans to finish just before Christmas. The family leased an additional 2000ha this year — a bold move after a below-average season last year, but one that is looking to have paid off. “If we are harvesting right up until Christmas, it means it has been a pretty good year for us,” Mr Seaby said. He said overall, he was feeling “lucky” to be harvesting an average to above-average crop across red country that held retained moisture from February’s storms deep in the soil. “Generally most blokes are pleasantly surprised with the yields. It is looking like an average season out here,” he said. Mr Seaby, a CBH director since last year, said he felt fortunate to have family help that allowed him time away from the farm. “I really enjoy my role as a director. It gives me the opportunity to get off the farm and mix with other growers, and also gives the boys the opportunity to take on more leadership at our farm,” he said.