![LOOKING GOOD: Owen farmer Andrew Parker says things are "steaming along" after a pretty good start. LOOKING GOOD: Owen farmer Andrew Parker says things are "steaming along" after a pretty good start.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-agfeed/2026996.jpg/r0_0_600_400_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
GROWERS confidence is soaring as temperatures start to plummet following magnificent early winter rains.
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Falls have continued - in some cases very heavy - following a widespread soaking earlier this month.
In the seven days until Monday, some areas in the Upper North, Kangaroo Island, Fleurieu Peninsula and Lower South East recorded falls of between 50 millimetres and 100mm.
Other areas in the Mid and Upper South East, Murraylands, Mallee, Upper North and eastern and Lower Eyre Peninsula received between 25mm-50mm.
The rest of the EP, along with the lower and upper Yorke Peninsula and parts of the Riverland and Mallee recorded falls of between 15mm-25mm.
Agronomists say the rain has put the 2013 growing season back on track after looking pretty dire through summer and autumn.
Farmers across South Australia are now hitting crops with post-emergent spray and topping-up nitrogen levels with urea.
Dodgshun Medlin Loxton agronomist Richard Saunders said the whole feeling about the season had changed in his area in the past month.
"People are feeling far more positive and enthusiastic," he said.
"If you dig down far enough you can still find some dry dirt, but if rains keep coming it will be really good."
Mr Saunders said his area ended up with about 25mm last week after being disappointed by falls before the weekend while some parts of the Mallee were "absolutely flooded". He said farmers would apply more nitrogen on favourable crops.
This was also the case in the Upper North where Rural Solutions' Jamestown-based consultant Michael Wurst said things were travelling extremely well.
"In the past two weeks, the whole Mid and Upper North has had extremely good rain - well above average for June," he said.
"The other thing is that it hasn't become extremely cold yet - Sunday night was the first frost we've had, which is pretty unusual as you get into middle of June.
"A number of farmers have already got that much confidence in the season that they are looking at applying additional N, so I think there'll be quite a bit of that go out during the next month."
AW Vater & Co agronomist Craig Davis said there was some variability through the Mid North because some areas had missed out on the early rains.
But he said most areas had made up enough to be in good condition.
"Crop establishment has gone quite well, crops are well-filled and canola has established a lot better this year than in previous years when a range of pests and conditions caused problems.
"Because of the lack of N mineralisation over summer, soil N levels started off quite low.
"A lot of stubbles hadn't broken down, which will mean an N deficit in the colder months, so I think it's better to get it on early, rather than later."
Bawdens Rural agronomist Ron Simpson said things had been tracking well on the Eyre Peninsula.
"From Port Neill down it has been a very good June," he said.
"We've had ample amounts of moisture and seeding has finished.
"Canola crops are up and at the 4-6 leaf stage and lot of cereal crops are up, so things are looking good."
Mr Simpson said most people had started spraying post-emergent herbicides, but some had encountered a reasonable amount of insect damage on crops, brought about by the fact there was little pasture.
He also reported some slug damage on canola crops in the Lower EP and some early net blotch.
The Mid and Upper Yorke Peninsula saw good conditions for seeding with crops going in right on time.
J&D Southwood agronomist Ian Koch said a few farmers had started putting urea out on early-sown crops.
"Canola has really motored in the past couple weeks, so some early ones have canopied over already," he said.
"In another three to four weeks, they could be flowering."
Mr Koch said the Lower YP got off to a more sluggish start because of dry conditions, but recent rain had kicked things along.
"There is a small amount of lucerne flea and earthmite damage on some crops, while mice are still out there and active in canola and legume paddocks, which has got a few people worried about what they're going to be like later on in the year."
On Kangaroo Island, very heavy rains have plagued some farmers.
Elders Kingscote agronomist Jenny Stanton said one farmer in the Macgillivray district reported 180mm of rain in 24 hours.
"Some farmers have actually abandoned their cropping pursuits in those areas because it's too wet," she said.
*Full report in Stock Journal, June 20 issue, 2013.