Harvest is under way in the north of the UK and, while a lack of moisture has been problematic for growers in England, it has been a different story in parts of Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland

Harvest started a week ago for Richard Kane in County Londonderry – but it’s an average year with weather challenges for the grower and cold presser at Broighter Gold Rapeseed.

See also: How to choose the best winter wheat variety for sustainability

“Unlike the rest of the UK, we’ve had a lot of rain,” says Mr Kane. “In the space of 24 hours we had 4in of rain and its flattened 60-70% of the spring barley crop.”

Yielding 3.7t/ha, his 60.7ha of Dazzler oilseed rape came off at 13% moisture, needing some assistance to get down to 8%. “So far, it’s been a very average year.”

Out of the oilseed and straight into the winter barley, he’s hoping to finish off his 28ha of two-row Orwell by the weekend.

“It’s another average crop: 7.4t/ha, and we’ve only just started on it, so we have no specific weights to report,” he says.

His 52.6ha of winter feed wheat Graham is at least three weeks away, with a yield aim of 9.9t/ha.

“We’ve also got 52.6ha of spring wheat,” he says.

“It’s our fourth year growing it and next year we’ll be increasing the acreage – the wet autumns are making it more difficult to drill the winter crop.”

Northumberland

Across the water and into the north of England, Glen Sanderson is feeling very positive about his harvest at Eshott South Farm in Felton, altho0ugh he is remaining realistic.

“So far, it’s been a glorious time – dry and easy to combine,” he says. “But the weather will turn and things will change.”

First out of the gate was his 40.5ha of two-row winter barley varieties Tardis and Orwell, yielding 7.4t/ha and 8.6t/ha, respectively, at 11.2% moisture.

“It has been very pleasing – particularly the Orwell.”

Now halfway through his oilseed rape, the 36.4ha of hybrid clubroot variety Crome has so far come off at 8% moisture, yielding 5.7t/ha, with oil content at about 45%. “It’s been very pleasing,” he says.

As for winter wheat, Mr Sanderson has 40.5ha of first wheat Saki and 24ha of second wheat Gleam left to cut. He expects to start combining them at the end of next week.

“It’s a good week plus early,” he says. “The Saki has been troublesome with septoria – but I think it’ll still yield okay.”

Barley harvest at Snowshill Hill, Gloucestershire. Photo submitted by Charlotte-Willn

Lincolnshire

A little south, at Belle Vue House, near Gainsborough, Charles Anyan’s winter barley and oilseed rape are meeting the combine first in an early harvest.

“It’s a rewarding time,” says Mr Anyan. “Harvest is the culmination of all the hard work – it’s nice when it feels like a victory lap.”

His 35ha of two-row Orwell has been pleasing, coming off at 11-12% moisture with an average yield of 8.5t/ha and 68kg/hl specific weight.

In the oilseed rape fields, 30ha of a high-oleic, low-linolenic acid variety has produced an average yield of 3.7t/ha – with no oil content to report as yet.

Next up is 150ha of winter wheat with 50% – Skyfall – destined for milling at Warburtons. “A yield of 9.5t/ha would be nice,” he says.

Thereafter, Mr Anyan has 60ha of Lynx spring beans in the ground. “The crop is looking fairly well and I’m happy with the pods.”

Dorset

In the South, combines have been busy at Travellers Rest Farm in Blandford Forum, and there have been highs and lows.

The 113ha of Maris Otter winter barley has done George Hosford well, yielding on average 6t/ha at 71-72kg/hl with good nitrogen, at 1.6%.

“I think it’s been our best ever yield,” he says. “It came in at around 13-14% moisture and produced lots of straw.”

As for oilseed rape, the tune is different in his 90ha of Aspire and Acacia. “It’s been all over the place,” he says. “Yields were anything between 2t/ha and 4t/ha.”

Mr Hosford puts poor yields down to a sheep grazing trial to combat cabbage stem flea beetle.

“We’ve been doing it for three years – but every year it’s knocked back the yields, so we won’t be continuing.”

He’s now into 180ha of winter wheat – Extase, Costello, Gleam and Theodore – cutting at 15.5% moisture.

So far, the Theodore is performing very well at 10t/ha with good specific weights of 76kg/hl.

Thereafter, he has 90ha of Laureate and Planet spring malting barley and 68ha of Vertigo spring beans to complete the campaign.