Mullewa Community Farm nets $300,000 for town in exceptional harvest

Mullewa Community Farm is celebrating its most successful harvest to date after its 285ha property yielded close to 850 tonnes of wheat, pumping nearly $300,000 back into the Mid West town.

A group of about 20 volunteers banded together for cropping last month, using five headers and three chaser bins to get the crop out of the ground in a single day.

Once again, all of the seed, machinery and fuel was donated by various businesses.

Volunteer Peter Barnetson said bumper wheat prices and favourable growing conditions had made it their best return yet.

“To get high prices and high yields is a rare combination,” he said.

“The season was kind to us. It could have been better if August and September were wetter. All things considered, it’s a great result.

“It’s a big whack of money going back into the community, which is what it’s all about.”

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This year the Mullewa Community Farm will distribute $60,000 to local community groups through a grants system, with previous beneficiaries including the Mullewa Wildflower Show, Mullewa Football Club and the Mullewa Women’s Indigenous Group.

For the first time volunteers were able donate their labour costs towards a community group of their choosing.

“The volunteers in the Mullewa community are fantastic and are always willing to contribute their time,” Mr Barnetson said.

A local fella in town donated a couple of cartons of beer during harvest. People who don’t have machinery are still contributing in some way.

“Lots of small towns die because there isn’t enough people to support the clubs. This is a way for small clubs to keep going.”

Mr Barnetson said some of the profits were being set aside to eventually buy a plot of land.

Last year the group secured a 10-year lease on the farm it currently operates on, which is about 5km west of Mullewa on Mullewa-Wubin Road.

With its continued success, Mullewa Community Group president Anita Grima said the trust would look to fund larger projects going forward.

“My vision is to see the town sustain itself through helping each other out to get this community crop each year and put money back into the town without having to fight for grant rounds,” she said.