Jonathan Lloyd has finished combining winter barley at Thelveton Farms, Diss, Norfolk, and hopes to start on oilseed rape today (21 July).

The 73ha (180 acres) of Maris Otter yielded about average at 5.4-6.2t/ha (2.2-2.4t/acre), coming in at 12-13% moisture.

“It’s a nice bold sample, although the grains are not overly big,” he said. “I haven’t had it tested yet.”

The Cabernet, Castille and Astrid oilseed rape had all been hit by late frosts, so Mr Lloyd was unsure how well they would yield when he started combining today.

“The wheat ranges from reasonably good to completely dead through lack of rain – the fields are very patchy and we could do with some rain to even them up.

“We had 18mm of rain last month and 25mm this month, and the sugar beet has started to flag where we can’t irrigate.”

In Holbeach, Lincolnshire, Mark Tinsley expected to start combining oilseed rape this week, and said wheat was about two weeks away.

“There’s very little being cut in this area but that will soon change.”

Crop: Winter barley
Variety: Maris Otter
Area: 73ha (180 acres)
Yield: 5.4-6.2t/ha (2.2-2.5t/acre)