McKenzie Creek’s Nathan Plush is among Wimmera-southern Mallee farmers pleased with how his crops are performing amid predictions of a record-breaking year for the national agriculture sector.

“It’s probably as good as it’s been as long as I’ve been back on the farm, about five years or so,” he said.

“We’re set up pretty well for spring, we’re just looking for the finishing rain and the frosts to stay away.”

After a dry autumn, Victoria recorded a particularly wet winter, which combined with forecasts for good spring rain has many of the state’s producers confident of ending the year on a high note. 

“We didn’t get too wet down our way – we don’t have much low-lying ground, it drains off pretty well,” Mr Plush said.

“We’re pretty fortunate, particularly considering how things were looking at the start of May. It turned around pretty quickly, that’s for sure.”

Mr Plush also runs 750 breeding merino ewes, ‘which keeps me pretty busy in between cropping’.

Life is set to become even busier in a few months, with Mr Plush and his partner Darcie Hastwell expecting their second child in January.

Mr Plush said their son, Percy, was thriving growing up on the farm.

The entire September 29, 2021 edition of The Weekly Advertiser is available online. READ IT HERE!

The entire September 29, 2021 edition of AgLife is available online. READ IT HERE!

“He’s happy and healthy and nearly one,” he said.

“He’s just getting to the age where he’s started taking everything in, looking out the window at the sheep and that sort of thing. He’s a dream child – he’s always happy and laughing.”

– Sarah Matthews