If you want to talk hay, head into the Goorambat Railway Hotel.
The publican, Mark Beavis, used to make up to 8000 round bales a year around the Goulburn Valley but has recently stepped out of the tractor and into the front bar — not a bad lifestyle change.
Farming at Goomalibee (just across the Midland Hwy from his hotel), Mark and his partner Jacqui Coleman have their work cut out for them.
“Buying the pub in 2017 meant that I had less time to go contracting,” Mark said.
This Coldstream-born beef farmer runs a Lely Welger baler and is now focused on cutting hay for his own herd.
“The hay last year was terrible; we didn’t cut until December because we were under water until the last week of November.”
With their farm on the banks of the Broken River, Mark and Jacqui felt the brunt of the 2022 floods.
“I’ve noticed that if you put out a bale of last year’s hay, the cows don’t eat it, they won’t touch it. It’s bedding straw at best!,” Mark said.
But 2023 may well be a different story according to Mark, who, having recently become a grandpa, has seen a few hay seasons in his time.
“We’ve got good sub-soil moisture, we don’t need any more rain around here.
“The grass will grow and we can get on and cut it, so there should be some quality hay about.
“Stocks are down so people will be looking for hay. I’ve supplied the horse, dairy and beef industry in the past but will be building up my own supply this year.”
Mark will be cutting rye and clover silage on his irrigation bays and thinks he’ll be making a start around mid-September, depending on what spring brings to the table.
“If we get the silage off early, we’ll get some regrowth on the bays to graze weaner steers onto.”
When Country News spoke to Mark he was optimistic, noting that the warm days, good rain and plenty of sunshine were perfect conditions coming into hay season.