Harvest is wrapping up for most of the country, with just a few final hectares to go.

While reports on yields have been reasonable, quality, on the other hand, has been a mixed bag.

Berwick-upon-Tweed

Just inside the Scottish border, Jim Macfarlane has finished his cereals at Edrington Mains Farm, near Edrington.

Although not a record-breaking year, it has been a good harvest overall.

“Everything remained standing, so there’s not much to complain about,” said Mr Macfarlane.

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The 72ha of Skyscraper, Extase and Insitor wheat yielded 10.5t/ha, on average.

“Individual fields have done 12t/ha, but if we average the top side of 10t/ha, I’m happy,” he said.

And his 46ha of Diablo spring barley was also pleasing, with good quality and yields.

“It yielded 8t/ha and the quality was good, with low nitrogens and good screenings.

“It was also cut at a low moisture, which is unusual for us. Diablo seems to do well on heavy land – which is quite encouraging.”

Northumberland

Heading slightly south, Carl Tuer finished harvest on 8 September at Rock Farms, near Alnwick.

“It was four days earlier than usual, but it was a slow job getting the last of it,” said Mr Tuer.

He was pleased with his 300ha of first wheats; Grafton, Barrell and Extase.

“The Grafton yielded 11.5t/ha and had a very high specific weight at 79kg/hl.

“The Extase yielded around the 10.8-11t/ha mark, with specific weights in the mid 70s.”

Yields were more variable among the 300ha of second wheats; Gleam and Skyscraper ranging from 8t/ha to 9.8t/ha.

“It’s been a real mixed bag – I think mostly to do with the dry spell in the spring.”

But it has been a strange year, said Mr Tuer.

“We have had an annoying harvest in terms of weather holding us up – someone likened it to ‘the driest we have ever been rained-off’ harvest.

“But it hasn’t stopped anything else; we are so far ahead in cultivations compared to where we would normally be because we haven’t had to break for the weather.”

Londonderry

Across the Irish Sea, Richard Kane has 80ha left to cut at Broglasgow House, near Myroe, with 121ha of straw left to bale.

He has just finished 80ha of Diablo spring barley, which had unfortunately fallen flat after a bad storm.

“It yielded surprisingly well; it was a bit of a mess, but the quality and yield were good at 8.5t/ha,” said Mr Kane.

The 20ha of Graham winter wheat achieved 10t/ha and 40ha of Orwell winter barley yielded 8.5t/ha, which was slightly higher than the farm average.

Mr Kane hopes to make a start on his 40ha of Talisker spring wheat and 40ha of Lumen spring oilseed rape in the next few days.

Essex

In the east of England, Tim Cooper has put his combine to bed at Goldenferry Farm, near Manningtree, after a challenging harvest – but good proteins offered a chink of light in his wheat crop.

“It’s been a challenge, yields aren’t terrible, but they are down,” he said.

“Quality and conditions have been the real issue.”

Kicking off his harvest was 65ha of  Craft winter malting barley, yielding up to 7.5t/ha.

“The quality wasn’t really there – it was thin and we had a lot of screening losses.”

And his 70ha of oilseed rape didn’t raise spirits. “The crop yielded no more than 4t/ha, but, again, it was the quality that was the let-down,” he said.

“It had low oil content at 38%, when we’d normally get about 44-45%; it was predictable with the lack of sunshine.”

His Surge vining peas were battered by both pigeons and the weather.

“The crop just got flatter and flatter, yielding 2.5t/ha at 20% moisture – harvesting was a bit of a nightmare.”

But Mr Cooper’s 303ha of winter milling wheat, Skyfall, has bucked the disappointment trend with acceptable yields and – importantly – pleasing quality.

It averaged 8.5t/ha at 74kg/hl, with proteins at the higher end of 13%.

“The Hagberg has been good, with it tailing off on the last lot at 258,” he said.