Busy times at Summerhill Farm

Fresh peas and broccolini and home-grown lamb are summer staples for the Clutterbuck family of Hagley.

The exceptional produce from their 600-hectare Summerhill Farms agricultural operation are non-negotiable in their own household but it also makes its way to the table of many Tasmanians. 

James Clutterbuck said that it’s a busy time of year, with the last paddock of grass seed finished this week, the peas and broccolini being harvested, beans, onions and potatoes still under irrigation and poppies expected to be harvested next week.

There’s one paddock of clover seed that will soon be taken care of by his dad on the header.

Access to the Greater Meander Irrigation Scheme has been a saviour – he had to go back to November last year to find rainfall of more than 10ml on the rainfall chart.

“It’s been a really dry spell – the driest season I’ve seen in 24 years of farming,” James said.

“And now we’re looking forward to wrapping up the poppy harvest before we do get a rain event.”

James and his parents moved from the UK to Hagley in 2002. One of their key considerations in land selection was access to irrigation water. 

At that time the Greater Meander Irrigation Scheme was being discussed, a key point of difference from the minimal irrigation capacity on their England farm.

Now, James and his wife Sarah, rely on 800 megalitres of Tasmanian Irrigation water each year to grow their crops under contract, as well as run 600 breeding ewes and fatten up to 5000 lambs. They also run dairy heifers on agistment and grow grass seed, clover seed and wheat.

“We have the right latitude, good volcanic soils, a cool temperate climate and outstanding access to high surety irrigation water – the perfect ingredients to grow the best vegetables,” James said.

“We originally had 500 megalitres of water entitlements and then purchased a further 300 megalitres as part of the augmentation of the Greater Meander Irrigation Scheme.

“We installed another pivot to irrigate a further 40 hectares and can continue with our future expansion plans.

He said water is crucial - from ripening peas and broccolini in time for Christmas to finishing the onions and potatoes later in the season.

“We are always on the lookout for new crops and high-value opportunities, and this water surety gives us the confidence to push the inputs and know we can finish the crops,” James said.