Chris Hewis has finished oilseed rape at The Grange, Habrough, Lincolnshire, with yields coming in slightly below his five-year average.

Expower, which had already been sold and moved, averaged 4.3t/ha (1.76t/acre), with Excalibur likely to have done the same, he said.

“It’s all been cut below 9% moisture, which was pleasing.”

He was cutting Flagon winter barley all day yesterday (28 July), which was very patchy and variable.

“It was disappointing, but only in so far as we’d expected.” The 12ha (30 acres) cut averaged about 5.6t/ha (2.25t/acre). “The sample looks good – it’s nice and bold.

He had another 40ha (100 acres) to do, but had been rained off today. “It rained lightly this morning, but we’ve got 100% cloud cover so I can’t see us going today, which is frustrating.”

The barley on some heavier land looked better, he added. “But late tillers have regrown, which is holding up harvest.”

Wheat didn’t look bad, having all been planted on heavier soils. “That’s probably been our saviour. We’ve got 2ha (5 acres) of Grafton which is almost ready, but the majority of it – Diego and Duxford – is still green.

“I would think it will be 10 days away, depending on the weather.”

Crop: Oilseed rape
Varieties: Expower and Excalibur
Area: 47ha (116 acres)
Yield: 4.3t/ha (1.76t/acre)

Crop: Winter barley
Variety: Flagon
Area: 12ha (30 acres)
Yield: 5.6t/ha (2.25t/acre)