2024 Seasonal Report of our Lancer Wheat Crop for Provenance Lancer Flour 2025 by Simon and Sandy Doolin, Cleveland , North Star, NSW
For 2025 Provenance Doolin Lancer Flour is grown in the 2024 growing season. Leading up to the planting of the 2024 Lancer Wheat Crop we had been measuring the nutrient levels in the soil, and monitoring our soil carbon levels watching a steady increase through our farming practices. We are working closely with soil experts to make sure that we can maximise our stored carbon.
We received some lovely rain in the lead up to planting. Because our soils are free of compaction and we have maintained our straw stubble levels the soil was able to maximise its water holding ability. Once we started planting on the 28th of April the soil was soft and the seed was tucked into beautiful soil conditions. The germination was perfect, we can’t often use this word in farming!
The temperature remained mild throughout May 2024. We received our first frosts in late June 2024. The early morning frosts are great for the wheat as it toughens it up and makes the plant roots get fully established. We received some welcome rain in mid-June and this really kicked the crop growth and development along. Throughout July and August 2024 we continued to have some nice timely rain pushing the wheat through to into flowering. Flowering is when the wheat is at its peak nutrition demand. We observed the plant health was very healthy due to the years of care we have taken of our soils, the crop was feeling good and was a deep rich green colour.
September is when the Lancer Wheat crop is at its peak water demand. The rains didn’t come throughout September at all. As a result of our stored soil moisture, the crop was able to continue its natural development and fill the heads really well to produce some beautiful plump grain.
The forecast for rain was increasing as our Mid October harvest drew nearer. By this time the day time temperatures had risen to mid thirties bringing the wheat in evenly and putting a beautiful golden colour across our paddocks.
We had to patiently wait as we measured the grains to assess that they were all at the perfect hardness. This ensures the our Lancer Wheat achieves its best performance and consistency to be milled into the best flour possible for 2025. The harvest ran smoothly without any rain interruptions. The grains were a beautiful rich golden colour and the smell of the air over harvest was beautiful and earthy, almost like you could taste it! This is an amazing sensation.
At harvest all the grain was measured and tested through our receival laboratory and then segregated on protein levels and allocated into our silos. We use fans in our silos to blow cold air through the stored Lancer Wheat. This storage process is conducted for at least three months after harvest which optimises the storage conditions as it allows the Lancer Wheat to properly mature as it fully hardens the grains before sending it to be milled into Provenance Doolin Lancer Flour for 2025.
We hope you achieve the same level of satisfaction that we have from producing our Provenance Doolin Lancer Wheat for your 2025 baking.
