Photo caption:
Photo 1: Bindi Bindi grower Toby Ellis with his wife Peta and their son Harvey, standing in their wheat crop.
Photo 2: Toby, Peta and Harvey beside their Morris 9652 air cart.
Farming near Bindi Bindi, Western Australia, Toby Ellis works alongside his wife, Peta, and their son Harvey, who returned to the family farm this year after completing an apprenticeship in heavy machinery.
Together, the family sows approximately 1,600 hectares of wheat, 750ha of canola and 400ha of barley. Precise seed placement and stubble management plays an important role in their approach to seeding – which led to their purchase of a Morris 18 –metre Quantum and 9652 air cart in time for last year’s season.
“We have to get the seed in the right place to get it up and going nice and quick,” Toby said.
The family operated a 51-foot Morris C2 for about 10 years before upgrading to an 18m Morris Quantum. Toby said the C2 had performed well, making it an easy decision to stay with Morris when it was time to update.
Now in their second season with the Quantum, the family has fine-tuned its depth settings and is pleased with the seed placement.
“This year, we’re definitely seeing a difference in getting the seed in the exact spot that we want it,” Toby said. “It’s been spot on.”
The Quantum’s parallel-linkage opener follows the contours of the ground to help maintain a consistent seeding depth, while the press wheel firms the soil around the seed.
Auto-Pack has also proved valuable as conditions change across the paddock. The system automatically adjusts hydraulic pressure to maintain the selected packing pressure.
Toby said the feature was particularly useful following rain, helping the family avoid applying more pressure than necessary.
“It can do its own thing and adjust as it goes,” he said. “It’s a fantastic feature.”
The family’s Morris 9652 air cart is fitted with two liquid tanks, giving them greater flexibility in how products are applied during seeding.
With their previous single-tank setup, the products were mixed and applied together. The new system allows the family to apply UAN beneath the seed while placing a separate liquid product at the seed, with the option to add trace elements or fungicide when required.
When sowing canola at low rates, the family relies on the 9652’s accurate metering.
Peta said they have been able to sow at around 1.6 to 1.7kg/ha without difficulty, while cameras help them monitor product levels in the tanks.
Stubble management is another important consideration for the Ellis family, who aim to retain crop residue rather than burn it.
Toby said the Quantum has performed well through heavy residue, including barley stubble and paddocks where stubble has accumulated over more than one season.
“The trash flow’s been excellent,” he said. “That is a major selling point when we’re trying to go away from burning.”
While the Quantum has introduced additional technology to the operation, Toby said the machine became straightforward to use once the family understood the setup.
Both the C2 and Quantum were purchased through McIntosh & Son Moora. Toby said the local dealer’s support has been an important part of the family’s experience with Morris.
“They’ve been excellent to deal with,” he said.
Toby also praised the service team’s response whenever the family has needed help, describing its support as “spot on”.
Growers interested in learning more about Morris Equipment can contact their local dealer.
