20 | Hugh Wigley happy with his harvest The bright yellow rape seed crop. Hugh and his son Robbie believe autumn planting and having all crops well established by winter is the best way to reduce risk. Ange Davidson ARABLE » Hugh Wigley Tourists often stop on the side of the road to photograph the bright yellow rape seed crop flowering on Hugh and Liz Wigley’s farm near Waimate. Harvested for The Good Oil company based in Rolleston, the colourful crop is one of three crops grown on Springlands Farms 440 hectares of rolling downs and is dwarfed by the farm’s main wheat crop of nearly 300 hectares and 90 hectares of grass seed. Last year the Wigley’s were awarded the United Wheat Growers New Zealand award for their top-quality milling wheat, which Hugh puts largely down to the region’s generous climate. “Crops south of Timaru did well this year as we got half the amount of rain that was happening north of here. Heavy soils and proximity to the coast create perfect growing conditions,” says Hugh. “The coastal climate means less extremes in temperature and less evapotranspiration. It can be 35 degrees Celsius in mid Canterbury and 27 degrees in Waimate. New Zealand actually holds the world record for crop yields and they’ve all been grown near the East Coast.” Last year’s growing season was wet and the harvest was finished by 20 February with moisture levels up to 19%. The farm has drying floors and can store 2,500 tonnes of grain which is essential for when the weather doesn’t play ball. The drying facilities reduce the risk for crops, but Hugh and his son Robbie believe autumn planting and having all crops well established by winter is the best way to reduce risk. There is irrigation on the farm, but this is more for future proofing the land. Last year the pivot made one round. Hugh generally grows four wheat varieties in a season, using the Foundation for Arable Research’s (FAR) variety trials to choose the best ones. Their biggest challenge for cropping is grassweeds which require a regime of spray, rouging and cultivation. To get on top of these weeds and other problems identified by growers, a FAR initiative called Growers Leading Change was set up in 2020. Members meet for discussion groups, field days and technical workshops. “We survey members to find out what their issues and problems are, and what’s working. We look at comprehensive reviews of what’s available for grassweed management and we are presently running two trials on our farm using different spray options,” says Hugh. “We had a drone company on the farm in December to look at opportunities and it’s amazing what’s possible, we just need to put it all together.” Alexanders are proud to support Hugh Wigley SPREADING MAINLAND KYLIE 027 484 7646 Aoraki’s Crop Truck following single tyre tram lines out to 32m. “Our son Robbie is pushing the technology and it’s one of the biggest changes on the farm. The last season’s final urea application was variably spread using information downloaded from satellite. It’s also the older generation learning from the young which is unique although we very much work as a collaboration,” he says. “Tech keeps us ahead of the game and we can optimise inputs. We keep an open mind as to what we use to manage our crops and have both direct and conventional drills. We use what’s best for that paddock, in that season at that time.”
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