Showery spells have kept the combine under wraps for the past two days at Colin Keevil’s farm at Cloford, Frome, Somerset.

“It hasn’t rained as much as we’d expected and we probably could have got on yesterday (20 July), but we were busy with the drier anyway.”

So far he had cut 24ha (60 acres) of Pearl winter barley, which had yielded better than average at 8-8.4 (3.25-3.4t/acre).

Although a nice sample, it contained some wheat admixture, so Mr Keevil was putting it through the drier to clean it up.

Decent straw yields were also pleasing, having been baled straight behind the combine for £198/ha (£80/acre).

“I’ve had people asking for rape and even bean straw – all the dairy farmers are worried as they’re short of feed, so will be using barley straw for that.”

Mr Keevil now had 45ha (110 acres) of barley to combine, and expected his Eiffel and Flash oilseed rape to be ready next week.

“Germination was a bit uneven but it looks reasonable,” he said.

Crop: Winter barley
Variety: Pearl
Area: 24ha (60 acres)
Yield: 8-8.4t/ha (3.25-3.4t/acre)