Mid North grain first in

But harvest begins on the back of challenging conditions on the weekend, where strong winds and hot weather stripped some of SA's potential.

Paskeville and Mambray Creek farmer Ben Bussenschutt, Triple B Farming, was the first grower to get grain into the system, with a load of barley from his Mid North property.

Mr Bussenschutt said he was happy with how harvest had started.

"I've been fortunate that the screenings were low and the test weight high," he said.

"We had a 14-millimetre rain in early September that guaranteed some grain quality."

Mr Bussenschutt is well into harvest, delivering five more loads through Port Pirie from his Mambray Creek property on Tuesday.

"I'd say we're a good month away from harvest at Paskeville," he said.

"But it all depends on the weather; if the warm and windy conditions continue it's going to ripen up quicker at home.

"I'd say by late October Hindmarsh barley will be pretty close to being ripe at Paskeville."

Mr Bussenschutt had been impressed with how Hindmarsh barley had performed, particularly under the weekend's challenging windy conditions.

"It's a good reliable variety and it's got good head retention," he said.

Mr Bussenschutt said the season had been variable.

"At Mambray Creek we had a really good start, and got the crop in early," he said.

"Because it's an early area, if we can get the crop in early and get a good winter, we're almost there.

"But at Paskeville, while we sowed reasonably early, the wheat and lentils in particular will suffer without a finishing rain. If we could get another 10 millimetres to 20mm at Paskeville it would be ideal."

Ceduna farmer Brenton Bergmann, who was the first to deliver to the Viterra system last year, has already reapt some oats and said he was about a week to 10 days away from harvesting cereals.

* Full report in Stock Journal, October 2, 2014 issue.