Field days committee senior vice-president Chris Bartlett said the estimated attendance figures for the first morning suggested a good turnout over the three-day event.

He said many exhibitors had told him they had already been quite busy on day one.

“There’s been good traffic and the sites are happy,” Mr Bartlett said.

The field days started on Tuesday and finish on Thursday.

“We’ve got three days in the low 30 degrees, not too hot or too cold,” Mr Bartlett said.

He said the field days committee had put in a lot of effort for the field days.

Committee junior vice-president Sam Eagle said said a wet summer had increased the amount of preparation needed for the Longerenong field days site.

“A lot of people also had late harvests in the lead-up,” he said.

But he said the harvest had lifted spirits.

“I think the farmers are optimistic, including for the coming season,” he said.

“A lot of the exhibitors have put in a lot of effort.

“There are some big and good-looking sites this year.”

Mr Eagle said the field days were usually on this week in March because historically it was the driest few days of the year.

“Given there will be three days of good weather, I think the crowds will be consistent across the event,” he said.

Watchem grain farmer John Ackland said it was always a good time at the field days.

“I like to look at the new products and catch up with people, not just in agriculture but in the service industries as well.

“I’m here looking at BKT tyres, and for a tyre manufacturer  – they make a good hat.”

Mr Ackland said a bigger grain harvest could have had a positive effect on the crowd.

“Though people who just had cereals have not had the same monetary return,” he said.

“But I think a lot of people are feeling more confident from last year and for the coming season given the water storages and heavy stubble they have.”

Member for Mallee Andrew Broad said farmers were happy because they had been able to produce a bumper grain crop.

“My gut feeling is that there’s a lot of optimism out there; we’ve had a good season and people are walking around with a spring in their step,” he said.

“I’ve been stuck in the Nationals site and the farmer in me wants to get out and have a look around.’’

Mr Broad said field days attendees had visited the site to raise issues with him, such as the cost of aged care for farming families and mobile phone coverage problems in the region.