AS IF to showcase just how diverse broadacre farming has become in South Australia in recent years, a Mallee property at Karte, north of Parilla not only caters for sheep, prime lambs and cereal crops, but also engages in an interesting mixture of other rural pursuits.

Les, Beryl, Ken and Stacy Schutz have pinned their faith in the sheep and lamb enterprises, leasing other country to cereal croppers.

While many SA farmers in recent years have opted to embark on total cropping programs, the Schutz family has provided a new twist by turning their broadacre backs on everything except their self-replacing Poll Merinos and the production of prime lambs and first-ross ewe lambs.