Torrential rain means few farmers will be combining near Wardley, Tyne & Wear, today (12 August), although most crops are still not quite ripe.

With only 6ha of winter barley in the ground, Geoff Alderslade had made a start on harvest at West Fellgate Farm, but said not much had been cut in the area.

“What winter barley did get drilled has been cut, but there wasn’t much in the ground, and everything else is just so late,” he said.

The one field of Cassia that Mr Alderslade combined averaged an uninspiring 5t/ha. “It never looked very well, having been drilled into very wet conditions, and there were lots of bare patches,” he said. “It’s not going to pay many bills.”

Despite drilling 60ha of oilseed rape, none had survived to be harvested, so Mr Alderslade didn’t expect to be cutting anything else until next week.

“We got some winter wheat in, and that looks pretty indifferent. I started spraying it off on Saturday (10 August) so it will be ready next week.”

In contrast, all the spring-sown crops looked extremely well, he added. “We’ve got spring barley, oats and wheat, and they look champion. We’ll just have to keep our fingers crossed.”

Crop: Winter barley
Variety: Cassia
Area: 6ha
Yield: 5t/ha