Harvest is rapidly progressing around the country as Britain endures the hottest week on record.

Despite moisture concerns, oilseed rape is producing good oil content and barley is excelling, with good yields and high specific weights.

Lincolnshire

At WoldGrain near Gainsborough, 4,000t of winter barley has been taken in and just 150t of oilseed rape. “It’s easily a week, if not 10 days, earlier than any harvest I’ve ever known here,” says Dan Murphy, lab and haulage manager.

See also: A guide to catch cropping before autumn cereals

So far, oilseed rape has achieved a high oil content of 46%. “We’re expecting another 7,000t of oilseed rape to come.”

As for the barley, 400t of Craft winter malting barley came in at 11.9% moisture, with low nitrogen of 1.63% and a very high specific weight of 72kg/hl, says Mr Murphy.

Despite the dry weather, some have found moisture in the crop. “Whether it’s barley that isn’t quite fit or it’s where the tramlines or headlands are.”

Cutting Pearl winter barley for Simpsons Malt in Berwickshire SE Scotland – photo submitted by Neil White

Cambridgeshire

Near Linton, a start on wheat is expected this week, according to Philip Darke, operations director at CamGrain.

“Oilseed rape is very dry, with moisture at 4%, and because the crop is at 30C, it needs some cooling fans on it,” he says.

A small amount of wheat has been seen with good quality and no issues so far, with protein averaging 13% and 79kg/hl specific weight.

Having received 15,000-20,000t of feed barley, quality has been variable, but it has been a bold sample.  

Kent

Weald Granary near Maidstone has taken in 5,000t of winter barley and oilseed rape, a week earlier than usual.

The firm has also received a small amount of Skyfall wheat at 14% moisture – early indicators suggest a high specific weight at 81.5kg/hl, low protein at 11.7% and 330 Hagberg.

“That suggests that yields are probably quite good with the higher specific weight – but it dilutes the protein, which is spread over a larger crop,” says John Smith, director and store manager.

“There is no ergot, which is a change from last year, when we had high protein, but low specific weight and ergot because of the damp growing season.”

The 2,000t of oilseed rape have an unusually high oil content, says Mr Smith. “Some oilseed rape has been 47-48% which is 2% higher than usual.”

Mr Smith is expecting some Extase wheat to come in on 19 July.

Barley harvest in Chelmondiston, Suffolk – photo submitted by Jeff Welch

Cornwall

In the South, 242ha of Funky winter barley has been cut on Treleathick Farm, near Liskeard. The quality was pleasing at 70kg/hl and 13.5% moisture.

“The yield has been between 5.9t/ha and 6.6t/ha – so it has been lighter on yield, but that doesn’t account for the bushel,” says Richard Tamblin.

But the straw quality has been promising. “It’s the best quality we’ve ever had and the yield is 2.4t/ha – demand is also quite strong at the moment.”

He has about 28ha of Funky left before making a start on 40ha Graham winter wheat.

“The continuous wheat is looking very sad, compared with last year when we couldn’t tell apart our continuous wheat and first wheat. This year is a totally different story – if we do 4.9t/ha we will have done well,” he says.

“It was put into a loose seed-bed in the autumn. I think we should have rolled it in, so I think it suffered from that and then let the take-all get a foothold.”

However, the 40ha of first wheat Extase is looking good. And he expects to move on to the winter wheat in 10 days, which he hopes to start desiccating on 19 July.

With the hot, dry weather he has been blowing down the combine every day. “We have been worried about the fire risk, which you don’t normally get in the South West.”

Richard Tamblin’s winter barley harvest © Richard Tamblin