Good rainfall to date this month has seen crops take off at a critical time, however good spring rain is being sought to finish crops off.

Changes in farming practices over the last decade have seen farmers enter the season better prepared for the big dry, with no-till cropping and direct drilling methods employed to adapt to changing conditions.

Glenorchy crop and sheep farmer Stewart MacPherson believed the season was looking pretty good following 40 millimetres of rain recorded in the last week.

``The crops are looking pretty good, they've really taken off after the rain we've had,'' Mr MacPherson said.

``The long range forecasts are a bit down on the outlook, but they're quite often wrong.

``I think it's shaping up to be okay, but you've got to be positive in this job.''

With drenching rains arriving at a welcome time, Mr MacPherson is hoping for some clear days to allow him to get back to spraying crops.

The prolonged dry has forced changes to farming practices, with Mr MacPherson taking a no-till approach in order to sow crops earlier.

Earlier crops, particularly in dry years, has worked well enough, but Mr MacPherson said good rains in mid August were needed to help finish the season off strongly.

``Once the days start getting longer and a little hotter we'll need some more rain to get us through,'' Mr MacPherson said.

``Dry winters are a little better around here, but once spring hits we need a good hit of rain.''

Fellow Glenorchy farmer Howard Cooper, said prospects could not be better on his cropping and livestock property.

``We've had about 41 millimetres in the last 10 days which has been fantastic and conditions are just about perfect at the moment moisture wise,'' Mr Cooper said.

He said despite a positive start to the start to the second half of the year, the next three months will be critical in determining the success of the season.

Lambing percentages were looking good despite the Coopers having to occasionally put feed out to stock.

``Generally nature takes care of its own and the stock obviously think it's going to be a good season,'' Mr Cooper said.

With the last 10 years forcing farmers to deal with reduced rainfall, farming practices have changed.

Mr Cooper said many people were running less stock and altering cropping methods in an attempt to deal with the drier conditions.

``Because of the history in last 10 years we're so dependent on having a good spring,'' Mr Cooper said.

``We could have a very good season or we could have an ordinary one, it just depends on how it goes from here on in.''