We started chopping the maize in the last week of September and finished in four days. A superb effort by James Bell and his team.

The crop averaged just over 50t/ha at an average DM of 31.5%. It was a huge crop and one I never thought we could grow. Sadly, I don’t think we can repeat it again.

The stubble was then cultivated with the Terrano, ready to be drilled.

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About the author

Robin Aird

Arable Farmer Focus writer Robin Aird manages 1500ha on the north Wiltshire and Gloucestershire border, with a further 160ha on a contract farming agreement. Soils vary from gravel to clay with the majority silty clay loams. The diverse estate has Residential, commercial and events enterprises. He is Basis qualified and advises on other farming businesses.

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We started drilling rye on 2 October. The ground was so tender after 50mm of rain that we decided not to roll. It’s now just coming up in row, so we obviously planted it the correct way up.

We then cracked on with drilling winter wheat and finished on 9 October. We were worried that if the weather broke, it would not take much to prevent us finishing.

Looking at the forecast we have 40mm due over the next few days and then the weather looks to improve. Maybe it was the wrong decision, but only time will tell.

The wet weather at the end of September did allow me to sit in the office and update our profit projection which we do in the middle of the financial year.

The gross margins are looking very punchy this year, ranging from £1,713/ha down to £703/ha across the crops.

Fixed costs have strongly risen this year to £455/ha because of the increased costs of energy, but this should settle back down. Hopefully.

One way we can mitigate the rising costs is to engage with the SFI, where it can slip into the business without making major changes.

I have just started applying for the latest round and hope to have the form completed later this week. I think this will add a further £150/ha to our income.

A big thank you to the team who have worked hard in a challenging year to get the harvest in, and the ground turned around and replanted.