Wheely good idea pays off

As rain continues to fall on the Mollett family’s property at Jerdacuttup, the decision to invest in a set of Trelleborgs 710/70R38 tyres for the sprayer used so much this season has paid dividends.

With a cropping program including canola and wheat this year, and faced with the wettest season he can remember, James Mollett said that while the tyres were more expensive than those usually fitted, they had enabled spraying to continue despite the conditions resulting from the heavier than normal rainfall experienced so far.

Mr Mollett said that since January 1, more than 265mm of rain had fallen on the family’s farms south of the South Coast Highway, with 42mm falling during the first week of May.

“We sprayed most of the farm three times in summer and made the decision to invest in the fatter tyres after the region had received 120mm of rain in March,” he said.

The deluge created rilling and erosion in places. The use of the wider tyres has enabled the machine to traverse the paddocks despite the wet conditions that have persisted since they were fitted.

Mr Mollett said that recent rains meant that the soil moisture level was high.

“We have had more rain here now than I have ever seen,” he said.

While there is a risk that there may be problems as a result of the wet season, the Mollett family has a form of risk insurance in the shape of land further north of the South Coast Highway, 40km to the north-west of the Fence Road farm that is their home.

“It is a stroke of luck; that farm is in the right place at the right time … it is slightly drier so we have been able to seed wheat up there with 12mm of rain and reducing risk of a large amount of burst seed.”