Wheat harvest is about 40-50% through near Brandsby, Yorkshire, and yields have been all over the place.

Contractor Keith Snowball said overnight showers had put wheat at 18% today (20 August). “I don’t think we’ll be into wheat today – I might do some more oilseed rape.”

So far he had cut about 120ha (300 acres) of Catana, Excalibur and Lioness oilseed rape, and yields had ranged from 3.1t to 4.3t/ha (1.25-1.75t/acre).

“Some of the rape had disease very late on.” However, the remaining 28ha (70 acres) of Catana and Kalif looked good.

Winter barley had yielded about average at 7.4t/ha (3t/acre), with most of the Pearl making malting quality.

But wheat yields were below average, with Oakley managing both the best and worst yields, at 4.9t/ha (2t/acre) on sandy soil and 11.1t/ha (4.5t/acre) on heavier land.

Gallant had averaged about 8.6t/ha (3.5t/acre), at 11.6% protein, while Solstice yielded 7.4t/ha (3t/acre) of sandy land at 12% protein. Both had very high Hagbergs and bushelweights, he added.

Gerald and Dalguise winter oats had been particularly pleasing. “We had an excellent crop of Dalguise at nearly 9.9t/ha (4t/acre) – and it had mountains of straw.”

Crop: Winter wheat
Variety: Oakley
Yield: 4.9-11.1t/ha (2-4.5t/acre)

Variety: Gallant
Yield: 8.6t/ha (3.5t/acre)

Variety: Solstice
Yield: 7.4t/ha (3t/acre)

Crop: Winter oats
Variety: Dalguise
Yield: <9.9t/ha (4t/acre)

Crop: Winter barley
Variety: Pearl
Yield: 7.4t/ha (3t/acre)

Crop: Oilseed rape
Varieties: Catana, Excalibur and Lioness
Area: 120ha (300 acres)
Yield: 3.1-4.3t/ha (1.25-1.75t/acre)