CROPPERS across the Yorke and Eyre Peninsulas are feeling generally optimistic about the upcoming season, with plenty of subsoil moisture banked from heavy rainfall.
The majority of rain fell on the weekend, with Kadina and Price recording in excess of 100 millimetres, while there were localised falls of up to 90mm in another freak storm front on Tuesday afternoon.
While many croppers are hopeful the rainfall will set them up for a good season, there have been cases of flooding and erosion, while summer spray costs are also expected to skyrocket.
John Davey, Kalimar Ag, Clinton Centre, said the family had rainfall ranging from 95-150mm across properties across the four days.
"If we'd had this rain last year, we'd have most likely had an extra tonne a hectare of wheat so that's the sort of start this type of event can give you to a season," he said.
"However, as last year proved in SA, you never what the season's going to be like until the end."
Mr Davey said they were usually enjoying a well-earned break in January, but due to the inputs supply chain situation, had been busily planning since October.
"We're in for a very expensive summer spraying program after this rain," he said.
"We'll wait five to seven days before getting into our first round of summer spraying. We've got enough product on hand for 2.5 sprays."
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Matt and Melissa Kenny grow wheat, barley and lentils at Winulta and Price and had 94mm inland and 84mm on the coast.
Mr Kenny said they had sustained significant hail damage to their crops pre-harvest and the rain would germinate the grain on the ground, allowing them to clean up well with a spray and avoid any mice problems.
Mr Kenny's uncle informed him that the last similar summer rainfall event was back in February 1997, when 100mm fell across three days on the back of 50mm in January.
The Kennys were pleased with the moisture building up in the soil profile, saying the rain had infiltrated about 60 centimetres, according to probes.
"There was a couple of heavy bursts of rainfall, but it generally kept coming down steady all day," Mr Kenny said.
Mr Kenny was feeling optimistic but still not wanting to tempt fate by asking for more than an average year.
Their summer spraying program will start in two weeks time.
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"While the price of glysophate is high, you at least feel like you're getting some bang for your buck now that we've had 90mm," Mrs Kenny said.
"We're going to get nice, clean paddocks ready for sowing and the growing season."
On the Eyre Peninsula, Leigh and Laura Fitzgerald, Buckleboo, recorded about 320mm between Friday and Monday, while their annual average tally is 300mm.
"It's a crazy amount of rain, and not what you expect to see," Mr Fitzgerald said.
"In 2019, we had 160-170mm for the year."
He said most of the roads near them had been left "unpassable" and he had already bogged a vehicle in the middle of a road, while out checking the farm.
He said 170mm had fallen Friday night, flooding their shearer's quarters, with another 145mm falling since then to Monday morning.
This rain followed 95mm in November, which had Mr Fitzgerald considering a summer crop, but he decided against it.
"Now I kind of wish we did have some sorghum in," he said.
"But there is no way anyone could have predicted there'd be this much rain dumped on the Kimba district."
The Fitzgeralds destocked all their sheep a few years ago.
While the rain is causing some havoc, including tearing up local roads, it has also filled a previously dried out dam and he expects they will be set for subsoil moisture.
"We've grown some impressive crops with not even a third of the rainfall we've had," he said.
But he said it did come with a catch.
Even before the rain, he had been out spraying summer weeds, and he expects he will have to go out at least three or four more times before seeding.
"With the amount of moisture, we're going to get summer weeds germinating," he said. "So the next three months will be spent out on the boomspray."
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