Rain lashes region

Richard North April 2020 TBW Newsgroup
MORE PLEASE: Nutrien Ag Solutions manager Richard North hopes to repeatedly empty the rain gauge at the company’s office and depot at Millicent. Picture: J.L.”FRED” SMITH

MILLICENT and district received some welcome rain overnight on Tuesday and yesterday, with rainwater tanks filling and pastures turning a deeper shade of
green.

It is a long tradition for the season to “break” around Anzac Day on April 25.

The highest recording reported to The South Eastern Times was 24mm by Mount Burr’s Michael Sayer.

Peter Chant’s Newstoke farm at Tantanoola had 19mm in the 24-hour period until 9am yesterday.

This was slightly more than the 16ml registered in the gauge of Nutrien Ag Solutions manager Richard North, who lives in the Millicent township.

“This rain is just the start,” Mr North said.

“Overall, the season is looking good.

“Some farmers are sowing pastures while others are starting to put in their crops.

“There is a lot of fertiliser going into the paddocks.

“After these first rains, you get the pre-emergent weeds.”

Meanwhile, it has been a busy start to autumn for Trevor Rayson who runs a mixed farm at Hatherleigh.

He has an upbeat view of the season ahead.

“We have planted pasture and we are set to sow canola, ” Mr Rayson said.

“Our autumn fertiliser program has been done and further fertiliser will be added when the crops go in.

“Ahead of lambing, we have crutched and inoculated the ewes.

“We have also done weed spraying.”

Millicent resident Bevan Staude said there was sufficient feed at present for his grazing block at Mount McIntyre.

“Some more steady rain would be welcome,” he said.