ONE day Ken Keleher would love to see his children take over the family farm, but in the interim this Clifton grain grower reckons those in agriculture have to stay positive.

This year marks a century of farming for the Keleher family on their Central Downs' property Boxvale, west of Clifton.

Like all in the rural sector his family has endured its share of droughts, floods and fluctuating commodity prices and this season appears equally challenging.

When the Bush Tele spoke with Mr Keleher he was gearing up to start harvesting 115ha of sorghum and while this year's summer crop looks promising yield-wise, prices are at a depressing three-year low.

"But you have to be positive," he said.

"We have had a good season so we should get higher yields, which should help balance out the lower prices."

Mr Keleher and his wife Bec grow grain on around 330ha, including a section of share-farmed country, which fortuitously is all above the flood plain.

"We normally grow half winter crop, half summer crop and that sort of balances things out and makes life easier at harvest time," he said.

"However, this year we will have more country under winter crop."

For the Kelehers, the winter crop means wheat and barley, while most summers they focus their energy on sorghum.

"This year our sorghum should do two tonne an acre," Mr Keleher predicted.

"That should help offset the fact prices are now at $160/tonne, when last year we never took under $200/t for our sorghum.

"So the price drop represents a massive loss for us.

"In reality we need to make $200/t that's break even point, because our input costs are always increasing."

As a seasoned farmer Mr Keleher has learnt the hard way to take agriculture's highs with the lows.

He believes you have to stay positive and love the lifestyle to keep farming.

"It might be hard at times, but it's a good place for families," Mr Keleher said.

"I'm 51 and I've been out here my whole life.

"My great grandparents selected this country in 1911, so my family has been here a 100 years now.

"And I'd like to think my kids might stay on too, but it's not always easy.

"Ours is probably one of the few places still in the same family out here, some of our neighbours have had 10 different owners in the same period."

Many farmers across the Southern and Central Downs are in the same predicament as the Kelehers this season hoping high yields for corn and sorghum crops, help offset a sluggish grain market.

Pacific Seeds territory manager Bill Smith said he was confident above-average crops would assist growers.

"It has been a very good season, particularly for grain sorghum and we are seeing some exceptional yields so there are positives."

Mr Smith said organisations like his, were now firmly focused on trial work using science and technology to advise growers on crop choices and best practice for controlling input costs and increasing yields.