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Central West Farming Systems Central West Farming Systems (CWFS) is an independent, not-for-profit, farmer driven organisation.

One workshop, five key points: a recap of our Weather Wise workshop.Swipe through what drives Central West weather, from...
16/10/2026

One workshop, five key points: a recap of our Weather Wise workshop.

Swipe through what drives Central West weather, from global circulation and ocean temperatures through to regional systems, paddock-scale effects and how to match a forecast to the decision you are making.

Watch the two highlight Reels on our page, and join us at the next workshop to get all the detail.

Save this post for when you are planning the season ahead.
Thank you to Anthony & Kel and NSW DPIRD Climate team for a valuable session, and to everyone who attended.

El Niño forecast. Rain still fell. Here is why.Indicators of El Niño are only one part of the picture. El Niño is only o...
14/10/2026

El Niño forecast. Rain still fell. Here is why.

Indicators of El Niño are only one part of the picture. El Niño is only one part of the picture. At our Weatherwise workshop, Anthony from NSW DPIRD Climate team showed what the oceans were doing. The Indian Ocean was neutral, with warm water right across it and no strong temperature gradient. That set up a series of northwest cloud bands, which carried moisture across the continent and brought rain to the region through winter, even as El Niño strengthened in the Pacific.

As the Bureau of Meteorology notes, a strong El Niño does not necessarily mean strong impacts on Australia's climate.
One climate driver never tells the whole story. With a dry September and a spring outlook that still leans drier, it pays to watch all the climate drivers, not just one.

The second of our two Weather Wise highlights.

It wasn’t the mice turning up in numbers on this warm spring day – the flies beat them to it.Sapphire was out setting ch...
14/10/2026

It wasn’t the mice turning up in numbers on this warm spring day – the flies beat them to it.

Sapphire was out setting chew cards across our Central West sites for the CSIRO mouse monitoring project. Each gridded card (slide 2) is left overnight, then scored on how much has been chewed. That gives a quick measure of mouse activity at each site. Where we find burrows, we spread cornstarch around the entrance (slide 3) so fresh tracks show whether mice are still using them.

The monitoring records how many mice there are, whether they’re breeding and level of activity. That data feeds into CSIRO models, refined over the past 20–30 years, that help forecast mouse outbreaks across the region. The project runs until 2029.

Why does the Central West get the weather it does? The answer starts at the scale of the whole planet.At our Weather Wis...
13/10/2026

Why does the Central West get the weather it does? The answer starts at the scale of the whole planet.

At our Weather Wise workshop, Anthony from NSW DPIRD Climate team explained how three large circulation cells in each hemisphere (the Hadley, Ferrel and polar cells) set the basic structure of our climate. As the seasons change, these cells contract and spread, shifting where the high- and low-pressure systems that bring our rain and dry spells sit.

A great day at our Weatherwise Workshop last week! We can't control the weather… but we CAN get smarter about it 🌦️Some ...
06/10/2026

A great day at our Weatherwise Workshop last week! We can't control the weather… but we CAN get smarter about it 🌦️

Some of our highlights:
🌏 How Earth's climate system works, and where all that climate data comes from (sensors, weather stations and more)
📊 Farm climatology: the real odds of rain at Condo, using probability and reliability rather than wishful thinking
📱 Reading a forecast properly, beyond just checking the rain icon
🐑 Lu Hogan from Ag360 on proactive management of land and animals in a variable climate
💙 The AMEND Project reminding us that the most important asset on any farm is the people running it

Biggest takeaway? A forecast won't make the decision for you, but it'll help you weigh up the risk 🎯

A huge thanks to Anthony & Kel (NSW DPIRD Climate team), Lu Hogan (Ag360.com.au), Lewis Bird (Amend Project), everyone who came along & asked great questions 🙌 and finally to our funding supporters including RDA Central West.

This workshop is funded by the Armidale Node of the SQNNSW Innovation Hub, with support from the Farm Business Resilience Program (FBRP), Central West Farming Systems and DPIRD.
The Innovation Hub and FBRP are funded by the Australian Government's Future Drought Fund, with the FBRP also jointly funded by the NSW Government.

👉 Yes, you! We want your ideas.Got a question you'd love answered in your own paddock? Nitrogen rates, seeding rates, so...
06/10/2026

👉 Yes, you! We want your ideas.

Got a question you'd love answered in your own paddock? Nitrogen rates, seeding rates, soil amendments, poor zones… tell us, and it could become a CWFS On Farm Experimentation trial on your farm.

Your paddock. Your challenge. Tested. Swipe for more ➡️

📞 Chiara 0421 155 194 | Bill 0429 976 565

Proudly funded and led by

Spring pest hotspots – keep an eye on your lucerneFollowing our field day at the Mixed Farming System Trial at the Fette...
06/10/2026

Spring pest hotspots – keep an eye on your lucerne

Following our field day at the Mixed Farming System Trial at the Fettel Centre earlier this month, spring pest pressure is a timely reminder that lucerne can become a prime target as the season changes.

As clovers, medics and annual species move into reproductive growth and senesce, actively growing lucerne stays green and attractive to pests such as aphids and early-stage red-legged earth mite nymphs. Pest hotspots can build quickly, sometimes outpacing what beneficial insects alone can control.

At the trial, producers looked first-hand at:
• identifying pests and understanding population levels
• where pests are feeding and how they affect plant growth
• potential impacts on lucerne persistence, plant recovery and feed quality
• when control may be warranted
• control options within an integrated pest management approach.

The take-home message: don't just look across the paddock – look closely within the lucerne. Pest pressure can vary significantly, and picking up developing hotspots early supports timely, targeted management decisions.

Now is a good time to inspect your lucerne and know what's there before deciding what action, if any, is needed.



Market Check would like to invite CWFS members to one of our 2026 Pre-Harvest Seminars. These sessions are a chance to c...
28/09/2026

Market Check would like to invite CWFS members to one of our 2026 Pre-Harvest Seminars. These sessions are a chance to catch with our team over a coffee or a drink, while we run through a comprehensive grain market update and our current strategies.

Central NSW
PARKES - Tue, 29th Sep 8:00am - Parkes Leagues Club
CONDOBOLIN - Tue, 29th Sep 5:00pm - Condobolin RSL
WEST WYALONG - Wed, 30th Sep 8:00am - West Wyalong Services & Citizens Club
RANKINS SPRINGS- Wed, 30th Sep 5:00pm - Conapaira Hotel
Register here: https://go.agrisk.com.au/2026PHSeminars

With so many forecasting tools and headlines competing for attention, knowing where to look and how to judge what's reli...
22/09/2026

With so many forecasting tools and headlines competing for attention, knowing where to look and how to judge what's reliable matters more than ever. Learn how to filter and interpret climate information accurately at our free Weather Wise Workshop. 1 October, Condobolin Ag Station.

Register online at https://trybooking.com/DOVNF



Reading a forecast is one thing. Using it to decide when to sow, how to stock, or when to activate your drought plan is ...
16/09/2026

Reading a forecast is one thing. Using it to decide when to sow, how to stock, or when to activate your drought plan is another.

Our Weather Wise workshop gives you the practical skills to bridge that gap. Free half-day, 1 October at Condobolin Ag Station — book your spot before numbers fill up.

Register online at https://trybooking.com/DOVNF



SQNNSWHub

Address

152 Fifield Road
Condobolin, NSW
2877

Telephone

+61268951025

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