WITH good spring rain across most of the southern Darling Downs, the cropping outlook is promising, with follow-up falls across the region at the weekend.

Set for their second good year in a row are Spring Creek grain producers Gary and Jan Gilmore, of Balmore had 17mm of rain Friday and Saturday.

The Gilmores operate a family partnership with their son Aaron and his wife, Jodie, at their 810-hectare farm.

Spring Creek grain farmer Gary Gilmore said it had been as good a start to the season as last year, however, follow-up rain would be essential.

"We've had unbelievable rain for two years in a row now," he said.

The Gilmores grew mung beans for the first time last year in their summer cropping rotation.

"The mung beans were kind to us last year, so we've planted another 80ha of the Jade variety this season," Gary said.

"We started our summer crop planting after 90mm of rain in four falls, in early November, and our crops have received 174mm of in-crop rain."

The Gilmores' crop of mung beans was planted into barley stubble at a rate of 23kg/ha, and a full moisture profile.

They also planted 230ha of sorghum, which is looking exceptional after the recent rain.

Gary said they planted a mixture of Pacific's Buster and MR43, along with Archer and Pioneer varieties G33 and G44.

"We are doing our own little trial with these five varieties, and we will have our own private field day and invite all the neighbours in about March," Gary said.

"We have traditionally grown Buster and MR43 for the last 20 years, but thought we'd try the three other varieties that people are talking about and see how they go on our country."

Their sorghum crop was planted between mid-November and December 2 at a rate of 2.5kg/ha, again on a full profile of moisture.

"That's our only summer grain crop we grow, as corn doesn't fit into our rotation," Gary said.

"We grow two legumes - chickpeas in winter, and either soy or mung beans in summer, as well as cereal crops of wheat and barley in winter and sorghum in summer.

"We have always practised no-tilling farming methods, and Aaron does most of the tractor work. I stick to the cattle."

Gary admits farming is not easy.

"As I get older I never intended to be doing it all at 65, but Aaron will take over the reins and has embraced all the new technology," he said.

"I spray using a GPS now, and I'd never thought I'd see the day that would happen."

As well as cropping, the Gilmores run 180 breeder cattle and their offspring on their eastern downs ridge country.

"We mainly run Droughtmaster and Charbray cows on the ridge country, and on the paspalum flats we run Hereford, Angus and Charolais females, which are all joined to Angus bulls," Gary said.

They sell their steer component privately, as well as through Warwick agents George and Fuhrmann, and their heifer portion is sold to Peter Lyons of Nobby.

Gary and Aaron are the third and fourth generation (respectively) of their family to farm in the valley.

"In the 1980s, there were six brothers all farming in this valley, and now there's just three of us left on the land," Gary said.

Gary holds a Diploma of Agriculture gained from the then Gatton Agricultural College, and worked on Brigalow Research Station for two years at Theodore before returning to the family farm.

"I have always loved the farm and have never wanted to leave," he said.

Gary and Aaron also grow around 12ha of lucerne for hay, which they sell as well as use for their polo horse breeding program.

"Once our polo horses were a major source of income, but we've wound down since Aaron stopped playing the game about six years ago," Gary said.

"I used to try and breed a couple each year, and used to buy untried horses for around $1500 - I'd put some work into them and play them for up to three years, and then have sold them for up to $15,000.

"I did have to keep some good horses under me though to keep my handicap up."

Gary got to as high as a 5-goal player in the sport, and admits he was a late starter, only first playing the game as a 27-year-old.

"My older brothers Stuart and Jim were great players and they asked me to play with them back in 1973. I smashed my ankle during my first game, so told them where to stick their polo," he laughed.

"It wasn't until 1977 that I came back to the sport, and I haven't stopped playing since."

Gary went on to hold the offices of president, secretary and treasurer of the Queensland Polo Association, as well as being the Director of Polo in Queensland for 15 years, and is a life member of the Downs Polo Association.