Harvest is all done bar the shouting, with small quantities of spring barley still to combine. While yields haven’t been outstanding, they have been generally good, particularly given the dry conditions.

Scotland

Robin Barron, general manager at East of Scotland Farmers, estimates that growers may have as little as 10% spring barley and 25% wheat left to cut this season.

“The area is well through harvest,” he says. “It’s about a week to 10 days ahead of last year, and about two weeks ahead of average.”

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Moisture has been at unheard-of levels for Scotland – as low as 13% – but performance hasn’t suffered. In fact, quite the opposite, with spring malting barley yields hitting a record 7t/ha.

“It’s been a vintage year for quality,” he says. “And the yields for spring barley have been amazing.”

Taking in about 50,000t of spring malting barley – Laureate and Diablo – Mr Barron anticipates there is another 10,000t left to come into store.

“We’ve had good, low nitrogen levels – averaging 1.4% – with grain meeting specification. Specific weight has been excellent, averaging 68-69kg/hl, with Laureate exceeding 73kg/hl.”

Soft wheat varieties make up the tonnage, destined for distilling. “It’s been a very good year for the wheat too,” he says.

“Specific weights have averaged 80kg/hl – and we’ve seen it up at 83kg/hl. Moisture is about 19%, so still very low for the area.”

“Harvesting on” © Matthew Mullen

Northern Ireland

While no records have been broken in terms of yield, farmer and grain trader Charles Davidson from North Down Grain, Newtonards, County Down, says it has been a good, steady year due to the lack of rain.

Wheat harvest is over in his area and there is 20% of spring feed barley left to combine. “Wheat yields have been 8.6-9.9t/ha. No particular variety has stood out. Specific weight has been 73-74kg/hl.”

Spring barley has averaged 6.2t/ha, with a specific weight of 63-64kg/hl. “It has been a good, solid yield,” says Mr Davidson.

“It hasn’t been a year for massive yields, but they have been good. Crops would have benefited from more rain.”

Earlier in the harvest campaign, oilseed rape achieved yields of about 3.7t/ha. “A lot of oilseed rape is being planted this year because of the early harvest,” he says.

“Sunset Harvest on Rougham Estate” © Willoughby MacGillivray

Northern England 

Spring bean harvest has just begun for GrainCo, near South Shields, Tyne and Wear, as the wheat harvest is done and spring barley is close to finish.

“For the farmers, this harvest couldn’t have been better, says James Chapman, main grain trader for Newcastle. “The weather has done the right thing at the right time.” 

Malting spring barley has been encouraging on quality. GrainCo’s contract takes varieties Laureate and Diablo. Laureate came in with an average moisture content of 15.1%, specific weight of 66.9kg/hl and 1.56% nitrogen content.

“A nitrogen average of 1.6% is perfect for distilling,” says Mr Chapman.  

GrainCo mainly receives feed wheat varieties Costello and Dawsum, which it can sell on to a nearby ethanol factory. “New variety Dawsum is the farmers’ variety of choice for 2023 harvest,” he says.

“It holds on for the northern weather, fills sheds with an extra half-tonne an acre and gets high bushel weights.”

Yields for wheat have been averaging 8.5t/ha, average specific weight has been 77-79kg/hl, and few milling wheats have had a low protein content. 

Screenings have generally been good this year, with spring oats averaging 2-3%, with specific weights of 51-58kg/hl, and 13% average moisture content. 

“Last Wheat Standing” © Ben Soden

Wales

In Haverfordwest, Geoff Thomas is into his final 14ha of Laureate spring barley, and hopes to be finished by Friday 2 September – three weeks earlier than usual.

His 48ha of spring barley, comprising 44ha of Laureate and 4ha of Skyway, yielded 8t/ha and 8.65t/ha, respectively. “It’s a really good sample; I’m not sure if it’s just a fluke, but I will stick to the mix of Laureate and Skyway next year,” says Mr Thomas.

“The Skyway doesn’t appear to have any screenings in it at all, which is quite pleasing.”

And his 30ha of Kingsbarn winter barley has achieved between 7.4t/ha and 8.65t/ha.

“All of it was ludicrously dry for us – under 15% and a lot was 13.5% – so we had nothing to dry and copious amounts of straw.”

“Night time with Claas Lexion 8900” © Andrew Greenwood