CROOBLE grain-growers David and Grace Quast will this year celebrate 100 years of family farming in the heart of Golden Triangle country in north-western New South Wales.
And to bolster celebrations, they were named northern region winners of the Suncorp Bank AgShows NSW Championship Dryland Field Wheat Competition, also sponsored by Lowes Petroleum, Flexi-Coil, BP, The Land and Dual Chelate Fertilizer.
State winners were announced at a special dinner in Dubbo on Friday, when some of the best wheat crops seen in decades were showcased.
Mr Quast’s great-grandfather, Oscar Uebergang, settled in the district in 1925.
By the late 1930s, 4000 acres of wheat was sown and in 1942, Mr Uebergang was considered one of the largest wheat growers in New South Wales.
Great-grandson David Quast’s property Domang – a mix of dryland and irrigation country – now grows wheat, chickpeas, mungbeans, sorghum and cotton.
David and Grace Quast won the northern dryland wheat competition this year with a crop of Coolah wheat, averaging eight tonnes to the hectare.
“We were incredibly proud to win the local Crooble competition against a strong field,” Mr Quast said.
“Even my grandparents, Don and Moya Quast, used to talk about how hotly contested the Crooble competition was.
“We feel privileged to take out the northern division in a year where there were some of the best crops the region has ever seen,” he said.
Mr Quast said the competition process, which covers four regions across New South Wales, provided valuable insight into all facets of grain-growing and farming.
In-crop judging, which involves assessing grain counts in heads, wheat variety’s trueness to type, and the freedom from disease and weeds, was conducted across New South Wales by Frank McRae.
“I have really liked being involved in this competition over the years and I’ve learned a lot from the judges,” Mr Quast said.
“These guys are visiting farms and rubbing shoulders with some of the best growers in the state.
“It’s a great opportunity to pick their brains and learn about innovations happening in our industry to lift that yield barrier even further.”
Mr Quast said good crops were only possible because of good teamwork, and the Domang team includes McGregor Gourlay senior agronomist, Scott Rogers.
“None of this is possible without our team,” Mr Quast said.
“Scott has been our agronomist for nearly 15 years, and our more recent team additions are no less valued.
“We always strive as a team to do better, grow better, and be more efficient and sustainable,” he said.
The Quast Agricultural Co claimed northern region honours ahead of Roger and Sandra Pagan from Gilgandra, and Peter Ricardo from Walgett.
Local wheat-growers Graeme and Rhonda McPherson from Gurley, and Glenn and Rachel Fernance from Bellata, were also regional finalists, with the McPhersons claiming third behind Gunnedah’s Lambrook Pastoral Co and Merrilong Agricultural, from Quirindi, in the durum section.
State champion was Greenhills Pastoral from Quirindi.
The TJ Dwyer Farming Excellence Award went to Derrick Farming Co, Temora.
Suncorp Bank AgShows NSW Championship Dryland Field Wheat Competition results
First: David and Grace Quast, Crooble
Second: Roger and Sandra Pagan, Gilgandra
Third: Peter Ricardo, Walgett
Southern Region
First: Derrick Farming Co, Temora
Second: John Ingold and Co, Cootamundra
Third: Manton Pastoral, Young
Central Region
First: Greenhills Pastoral, Quirindi
Second: Illinois Farms, Cowra
Third: Anothy Harrison, Canowindra
Western Region
First: G Hutchison and Son, Hillston
Second: Greg Diener, Peak Hill
Third: JL, LI and CY Minogue, Barmedman
Durum results
First: Lambrook Pastoral Co, Gunnedah
Second: Merrilong Agricultural, Quirindi
Third: Graeme McPherson, Moree
State Champion
Greenhills Pastoral, Quirindi
TJ Dwyer Farming Excellence Award
Derrick Farming Co
