BEFORE this year, Connell Walker, Gemini Downs, Clermont, had never stepped foot in a cotton field, let alone grown the crop.
As a grains farmer with a small commercial cattle herd, Mr Walker said it took a few years for CQ Ag Services’ agronomist Darren Young to talk him into planting cotton.
Of the 2920 hectares at Gemini Downs, about 180ha of dryland cotton was established in a double skip row configuration between December 20 and 23 last year.
Mr Walker runs the property in partnership with his mum Ann and wife Renee, with sons Fletcher (17), Logan (13), and Banjo (11), all still at school.
After receiving early rain before Christmas, it became viable to plant Bollgard III at the property.
With no previous experience with cotton, Mr Walker said he had to rely on the experts when they told him it was going “really well”
“I’m only going with what I’ve been told, because I was never brought up with cotton,” he said.
“I’ve never even walked through a paddock of cotton in my life.
“For missing monsoonal rain through January, February and March, we have to be happy with the crop we have.”
He said while he views the cotton as an opportunity crop for good rainfall years, he would be willing to grow it again.
Kelly Butterworth
Rockhampton-based journalist covering all things ag.
Rockhampton-based journalist covering all things ag.
