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Innovative sowing machine helps protect soil
Property owner Jack Minogue believes farmers are usually pretty handy people. So when he needed a machine that could handle sowing undulating plains, he simply built one for his property 'Wilga', which lies halfway between Barmedman and West Wyalong.
Funding
Around $10,000 from the Australian Government and support from the State Government through the Lachlan Catchment Management Authority (CMA) helped Jack adapt an old plough. He also provided personal financial assistance for the project.
"I wanted to be able to direct drill with press wheels. I had an old, bare machine and it took two months for me to adapt it," Jack said. "It cost about $25,000 but it's worth about $120,000.
"The beauty of it is that I don't have to touch the paddocks before I'm ready to sow. When I'm ready to sow I just go straight in."
Activities
Lachlan CMA Officer, Mark Leary, said it was great to see people like Jack undertaking such environmentally sound projects.
"Jack's taken the right steps to improve soil organics, soil carbon and adopt new technology," Mark said.
"Lachlan CMA is very proactive in providing landholders with incentives to undertake these sorts of projects."
The adapted machine has many benefits, particularly in terms of natural resource management.
"Direct drilling means I don't disturb the soil as much. I don't have to run around cultivating paddocks before I'm ready to sow," Jack said.
"The machine uses narrow points for cultivation and sows straight into the paddock. I've been able to increase soil infiltration which means I now use the rain to its full advantage.
"Organic matter has increased and soil erosion is reduced, which is also good for the catchment."
Jack said he's never seen a machine exactly the same as his. But he did discuss designs with a mate who has something similar.
"I had to build a machine suitable for my property - we have undulating plains, which means they're difficult to sow with conventional machinery.
"The wheels of the machine set the sowing depth, which provides accurate seed placement."
Jack said he saw similar technology in Coonamble about eight years ago, but it wasn't right for his situation. And he had to wait for a while before he could afford to build the machine.
"There were some pretty tough years out here - I couldn't afford to do it sooner. But then I got the Lachlan CMA incentive and it enabled me to go ahead," Jack said.
"About 40 to50 people have been to see it since it was built. That's how people get their information out here."
More information
- Mark Leary, Lachlan CMA Officer: (02) 6972 2831 or lachlan@cma.nsw.gov.au
- Lachlan CMA website: www.lachlan.cma.nsw.gov.au
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