- Tom Douglas manages a 35-hectare, four-variety almond property in western NSW, producing approximately 105 tonnes of kernel per year.
- His spray programme is audited annually by his processor to verify MRL (Maximum Residue Limit) compliance, requiring a full year of spray records to be available on demand.
- With Farmable, the entire year's spray data is available in the app at the tap of a button. The auditor can review everything on the spot, no reconstruction, no searching through records.
- Farmable also serves as his daily field notebook, capturing jobs spotted while working elsewhere on the property.
I manage and operate my family's 35-hectare almond property in western New South Wales. The orchard was established by my parents in the late 1990s with an initial 12-hectare planting and has been gradually expanded over 23 years. We grow four varieties: Non-Pareil, Carmel, Fritz, and Wood Colony, producing approximately 105 tonnes of almond kernel per year. The trees blossom in August, the nuts grow vigorously through to late December, and harvest runs from late January to late March.
I use the Farmable app nearly every day.
The field notes problem, solved
I work largely by myself, moving between multiple locations across the orchard during the day. While I'm doing one job, I'm constantly spotting other jobs that need to be done.
Before Farmable, I'd try to hold those in my head, or scribble a note I'd lose track of. Now I record them immediately in the Notes tab. When I finish the current job, I have a clear list of what's waiting, organised by location, ready to plan into the schedule. It has significantly improved my efficiency across the property.
The spray tab changed how audits work
“The most important benefit of the Farmable app for me is in the Spray tab.”
Tom Douglas
My spray programme is audited every year by the processor we sell our almonds to. The auditor reviews every spray application made during the season to confirm that no chemical has been applied at a rate that would cause the harvested nuts to exceed their Maximum Residue Limit (MRL).
Before Farmable, that audit was a reconstruction exercise, digging through paper records, trying to be certain about details from 12 months earlier, and hoping nothing had been missed or misrecorded.
Now, all I do is show the auditor the Farmable app. Every spray application from the entire year is there: product, rate, date, field, conditions. The auditor can analyse the full record on the spot.
“This greatly increases the reliability of the information for the auditors and saves me a lot of time and effort in trying to remember the exact details of 12 months worth of work.”
Tom Douglas
Why reliable spray records matter for nut growers
MRL compliance isn't optional. For almond growers selling to processors, it's a condition of supply. Getting it wrong, or being unable to demonstrate compliance, can affect your ability to sell your crop.
The difference between paper records and a digital system like Farmable isn't just convenience. It's the difference between records that might be complete and records that are reliably complete, logged at the time of application, in the field, with no re-entry and no reconstruction required.
Frequently asked questions
Does Farmable work for almond orchards as well as fruit farms?
Yes. The spray records, field mapping, job tracking, and compliance reporting tools are fully customisable for any crop, including almonds, macadamias, and other nut orchards. You enter your own crops, products, and equipment.
How does Farmable handle the MRL audit process?
Your full spray history is stored in the app as you log each application. When an auditor visits, you open the app and all records are there, product, rate, date, field. No preparation required.
Can Farmable be used on a farm managed largely by one person?
Yes. Tom Douglas manages a 35-hectare property largely alone. Farmable's Notes and Jobs features are particularly useful for solo operators who need to track multiple tasks across a large area without a team to delegate to.