ON FARM SHEEP Over the fence In this series, Feedback follows a group of producers from across Australia as they manage their operations over the course of a year and respond to the challenges that arise in modern beef and sheep enterprises. Meet our new producers for the 2019–20 series. SNAPSHOT: Andrew Mitchell Andrew Mitchell, Mintaro, SA OUR BUSINESS: hay storage leased to a ACTIVITIES OVER S The farm, ‘Chelwood’, hasbeen in our family since 1914.30ha of vineyards for winethird party. We also haveTHE NEXT TWO I’m the fourth generation. grapes, which are sold into MONTHS: It was split 20 years ago Clare Valley and Barossa between my father and uncle Valley vineyards. > weaning lambs in and, since then, we’ve bought October half back. I farm with my wifeWHAT’S ON OUR PLATE: > harvesting hay and Kimberley, my mum Pam and We weaned the April‑drop specialty crops for dad John, and my brother lambs in July. This was seed companies: David and his wife Peggy. followed by crutching and clovers and vetches Area: shearing in August and for export markets. 3,300ha over several Chelwood has always been a lambing the July–August properties, plus cropping and sheep property ewes. We generally shear 300ha leased (mainly sheep), but it swung twice a year but with the dry Andrew Mitchell heavily to cropping during theyear we had, it has stretched E: aandkmitchell@ Enterprise: 1980s. From 2005–2006 we to three times in two years. bigpond.com Dual‑purpose Merinos, built the sheep numbers back We’ll try to get back to cropping and wine grapes up – we were down to 1,000 twice a year from October sheep at one point. We now 2020. I’m also sourcing Livestock: join about 3,000 Merino ewes some genetics. We’re heavy 6,000 sheep, including each year, mainly to Merinos. users of Australian Sheep 3,200 Merino ewes We’ve played with a few Breeding Values. Pasture: crossbreds (400–500), but MY GO‑TO TOOLS Native pastures, sown Merinos are our main business.AND RESOURCES: cereals, ryegrass and We crop 2,400ha and I look at people who I white clover have 1,000ha of grazing think are doing the best country which ranges from job with sheep. I read Soil: native grasses through to Feedback, Farming Ahead Heavy red‑brown clay, some improved pastures with and Beyond the Bale, and chocolate brown earth clover and ryegrass. Frost a lot of information comes Rainfall: is an issue here so we via social media. I recently 600mm grow lucerne in the lower had a weather station put in country, which gives us the as part of a large program option of grazing, or hay or to address spray drift going seed production. We have into vineyards. ■ 1144