Crushing started, Monday 18th June for the Herbert region. At last it is great to see some sunshine and cooler weather to put some sugar into the cane. We are all looking forward to a better year this year. Although production has picked up we still need another year or two to get ourselves back to somewhere near normal.

The failed MIS schemes are fast disappearing around the district and the land will be going back into cane land with some planting already underway. The landscape is looking better with neat ordered drills and in the future unkempt trees buried under weeds and grass will be in the past but never to be forgotten.

The farmers at the southern end of the district have completed their planting while others are just starting in the drier areas, with the wetter areas still waiting to be planted.

There are a lot of paddocks that are showing grub damage as well as feral pig damage. Farming is a never ending challenge.

Here’s to a good season and better times ahead

(The following pictures are of former Herbert Valley cane land that was lost to MIS forrestry and is now being returned to sugar cane. Credit: Carol & Lex Mackee)