From Baling to the Board Room with Harry Divall

Podcast Highlights In the latest episode of Hay Matters, brought to you by LocalAg and Feed Central, Steve Page catches up with Harry Divall; hay contractor, grower and AFIA board member. Harry shares his path from livestock work in Goulburn to running a growing hay operation across West Wyalong, Stockinbingal, and Crookwell. He shares the ups and downs of learning how to make quality hay, how he manages seasonal risk, and what he hopes to contribute to the fodder industry.Harry left school early and started fencing and working cattle near Goulburn before setting up a mixer on the family farm to boost weight gains in steers and heifersCold conditions limited hay production at home, so his family expanded west and bought their first baler, a Massey 2270XD, in 2016He now operates two Krone balers and produces between 15,000 and 25,000 bales a year, depending on the seasonWith farms spread across Goulburn, Stockinbingal and West Wyalong, he uses geography to manage weather risk and extend the cutting window from September to JanuaryCrop rotations include oats, barley and vetch out west, with canola, oats, barley and lucerne on the Stockinbingal farmHarry adjusts his plan each year, converting crops to silage or grain when conditions aren’t right for hayShed storage now holds over 2,000 bales, but he’s also experimenting with tarping, aiming to protect quality from the bottom upAs a new AFIA board member, Harry wants to make learning resources more visual and hands-on, helping others see what good practice looks like in the paddock