ACCC deputy chairman Mick Keogh joins HV McKay’s grandson, Dugald McKay, Bruce Taylor and HMFD patron Tim Fischer at the opening of the 2018 field days.
DRY conditions throughout the region didn’t deter visitors from turning out at the Henty Machinery Field Days in southern New South Wales this week.
Producers had the chance to check out the latest in farm machinery and equipment displayed by 870 exhibitors at more than 1200 sites.
The continuing dry conditions were the prevailing topic of conversation and a key source of inquiry and buying interest.
Henty Machinery Field Days organisers said funding for drought-proofing had seen a boost in sales of items like water troughs.
Frost over recent days across cropping regions has caused major damage to grain crops, meaning many will end being turned into hay rather than being harvested for grain.
An automatic sheep feeder built at Temora and launched to the commercial market at Henty also attracted plenty of interest amidst the dry conditions.
It was developed by part-time farmer, Justin Dunn. Justin is principal of the Ariah Park School, but also operates a sheep feedlot and was seeking a low-cost way to introduce lambs to feed. He found this produced good results in grain cost savings, something which has been amplified by the current drought and high grain prices. His machine won the Agri-Innovator Award at the field days.
Whilst sales of larger tractors were predictably slow, smaller tractors, mowers and merchandise proved very successful for John Deere distributors, Hutcheon and Pearce.
This year’s exhibition of antique machinery featured a special display incorporating 100 years of John Deere tractors.
Holbrook’s Bridie and Jim Heriot and their children Stirling, Primrose, Queenie, Darcy and Clementine enjoyed a day out at the Henty Machinery Field Days on Wednesday.
Tocal College skills training representative Kellie Goring, Yanco, and AgriFutures Evoke Ag representative Renae Bice, Wagga Wagga.
Serafin Machinery sales manager Rodney Dunn based at Griffith, NSW, with the locally manufactured 6 metre Serafin Machinery Ultisow, a single disc seeder with narrow row spacings that allows for mixed farmers to plant both cereal crops and to renovate pastures.
AgSkilled project officer, Claudia Vicary, Tamworth, NSW DPI technical cereal pathology, Brad Baxter, Wagga Wagga, and GRDC communications manager, Toni Somes, Toowoomba.
Jim Sandrail, Corowa chats with Henty and District Antique Machinery Club members Trevor Terlich and Ken Paton in front of the 100 year old Waterloo Boy, owned by John Kirkpatrick of Lake Goldsmith, Vic.
Agri-Innovator Award winner, Justin Dunn (right), explains operation of the “Shepherd Auto Sheep Feeder” to Merriwagga district farmer, Lawrence Higgins.
Leo and Mark Corbett, Ganmain, NSW.
Andrew Hutton and Tracey Rule of Yass.
Central Coast Herpetologist, Bob Withey, kept the crowds enthralled with his snake information sessions – showing here an inland taipan or ‘fierce snake’.
Among the O’Connors Farm Machinery representatives at Henty were Lachy Sirett, Shepparton; Greg Ebert, Corowa; Bernie Teasdale, Shepparton; Rory O’Connor and Brian James, Corowa.
Greg Lowe, Wagga Wagga TAFE; Jim Gordon, Young and Ron Blyth, Tarcutta inspect the champion fleece at the Henty Machinery Field Days.
Bill and Georgia Wilson and their children Lloyd, Evie and McKenzie travelled up to Henty from Edi in the King Valley, Victoria.
The fashion parades attracted plenty of interest in the Community Lifestyle pavillion at Henty.
Kylie, Clinton, Lucas and Misha Brill travelled from Griffith, NSW, for a day at Henty.
Fraser Brion, Adelaide and Holbrook’s Will Satchell, Henry, Rory and Digby Gulliver and Angus Wright.
Hutcheon & Pearce staff joined the general public to celebrate 100 years of John Deere tractor manufacture at Henty – Pic: Henty Machinery Field Days
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