Rained off at Long Melford

Nick Huxtable hasn’t started combining any wheat at Sir Richard Hyde-Parker Farms, Long Melford, Suffolk, but has finished oilseed rape and spring barley.


“The wheat is fit, but we’ve been rained off several times. I tried it yesterday (12 August) but it was 22% moisture.

“All the Camgrain boys are cutting like mad, but us mere mortals without big driers are having to wait.”

The 506ha (1250 acres) of Solstice and Oakley looked extremely well until the drought in early June, so Mr Huxtable hoped it hadn’t suffered too much damage.

Castille and Marcant oilseed rape took a long time to die off, but yielded about average at 3.7t/ha (1.5t/acre).

Tipple spring barley, sown after sugar beet, yielded a slightly disappointing 4.9-5.6t/ha (2-2.25t/acre). “I budgeted for 2.25t/acre so if it does that I suppose I can’t be too upset.

“But it’s a nice, clean and fairly bold sample, with a lovely colour.”

With rain forecast most days until early next week, Mr Huxtable didn’t expect to be into wheat for almost a week yet.


Crop: Oilseed rape
Variety: Castille
Area: 91ha (225 acres)
Yield: 3.7t/ha (1.5t/acre)


Variety: Marcant
Area: 91ha (225 acres)
Yield: 3.7t/ha (1.5t/acre)


Crop: Spring barley
Variety: Tipple
Area: 70ha (175 acres)
Yield: 4.9-5.6t/ha (2-2.25t/acre)



 
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