Rained off at Wardley
Geoff Alderslade is waiting to combine winter wheat at West Fellgate Farm, Wardley, Tyne & Wear, but has been rained off since Tuesday (9 August).
“We have had a lot of rain – it just seems to be never-ending,” he said.
However, he had managed to finish his oilseed rape, with yields proving better than expected.
Expower averaged 4.9t/ha (1.98t/acre), with Excalibur coming off at 4t/ha (1.6t/acre). “The Excalibur looked abysmal all winter, because of pigeon damage, and we nearly pulled it up in the spring. I’m glad we didn’t.”
Wheat would be ready as soon as the weather dried out, said Mr Alderslade.
“Hopefully I will be as surprised with the wheat as I was with the rapeseed.
“But some of it is milling wheat, so the Hagbergs will be starting to suffer. It really needs to stop raining now.”
Crop: Oilseed rape
Variety: Expower
Yield: 4.9t/ha (1.98t/acre)
Variety: Excalibur
Yield: 4t/ha (1.6t/acre)
