IT has been a year of milestones for Bruce Rock grower Stephen Strange.
This year marked the 100-year anniversary of the establishment of the family farm Cotswald, at Bruce Rock, which he farms with wife Karen, son Leigh and daughter in-law Deanne. Stephen turned 60 two weeks ago and he and wife Karen have been married for 40 years.
It was also a milestone in terms of their oat crop; this is the first time in 20 years the family decided to give them a go and they weren't disappointed.
"This year we dipped our toes in the water again after 15 or 20 years," he said. "We only had a modest 110 hectares, but the crop went incredibly well and averaged 3.7 tonnes per hectare."We are very pleased and at $230 per tonne it's a very good return.
When Farm Weekly visited the family was 20 per cent through its harvest program, and like oats the canola was also proving to be ahead this year. "We're very pleased with the genetically modified varieties.”
