ROLLESTON GROWER REGAINS CONTROL

Based in Rolleston, Central Queensland, Sam Fairweather represents the third generation of his family to farm in the region. Managing a broadacre operation that’s around 2,000 hectares, Sam grows chickpeas, sorghum and wheat, with mungbeans rotated in when conditions are right.

After spending time away from the land working in mining, Sam returned home and has been managing the farm for the past year, continuing the operation his family has steadily built over generations.

“My grandpa drew a ballot to buy his first block,” Sam said. “Dad later bought the Crescent block, which hadn’t been cropped before, and that’s where he really started farming operations here.”

When weeds started getting away

Like many growers across Central Queensland, grass weeds became an increasing challenge. Blanket spraying was proving costly, and control wasn’t where it needed to be.

“The grass was getting away from us and we needed to get on top of it,” Sam said.

Sam had already seen WEED‑IT technology in action through people he trusted. A former employee owned a 30‑metre WEED‑IT tow‑behind unit, and local mates around Rolleston were running WEED‑IT systems fitted to John Deere machines.

“That gave me the confidence to look into it further,” he said.

Talking to Croplands

After an online enquiry, Sam was put in touch with Croplands’ Lachlan (Lachie), who guided him through the options and helped tailor a solution for the farm’s existing setup.

“Lachie was very helpful,” Sam said. “He answered all of my questions, and when a few things came up, he sorted them straight away.”

Sam ultimately invested in a WEED‑IT Retrofit Kit, fitted to a John Deere 4038.

Early gains where it counts

While it’s still early days to measure a full return on investment, the value is already clear.

“It’s a bit early to see the proper return,” Sam said.

“But we’re noticing the weeds are going and the chemical savings are there.”

By spraying only where weeds are detected, Sam has been able to cut chemical use while hitting harder‑to‑control weeds more effectively.

“We’re spending much less on chemical and putting more onto the weeds we couldn’t kill before.”

A solid investment backed by the right people

For Sam, the technology is only part of the equation, the support behind it matters just as much.

“The guys were great to deal with, and they still are,” he said.

With improved weed control, reduced chemical spend and reliable back‑up from the Croplands team, the WEED‑IT Retrofit Kit is shaping up to be a strong addition to the Fairweather operation as they continue farming into the next generation.