Race against the clock
Race against the clock
Driers running through the night, combines out at dawn. All
the stops are out to bring the harvest home. Yields are still
above average, but quality has long gone in the south and
east. Only in the north and Scotland has wheat still to cut
much chance of milling. Our comprehensive coverage relays
growers and traders reports, region by region
MIDLANDS
BETTER weather last weekend and earlier this week has seen combines forge ahead. Yields remain good but quality is dropping.
"Combines have really cracked on this week, with almost 50% of wheat now cut," says Northants merchant Charles Jackson. "Yields seem to be extraordinary, with 4t/acre typical and some reports of 5t.
"Quality is disappointing. Proteins werent there before the rain, but now both bushel and Hagberg have dropped." A field of Soissons at 255-299 Hagberg and 80.1kg/hl pre-rain, tested 156-165 and 74 after.
Barometer farmer Tony Wright didnt return to combining at Caythorpe, Lincs, until Saturday. "Yields seem to continue above normal at 10.5-11.0t/ha, but the sample is looking weathered with some evidence of sprouting."
In Glos, Lee Hunt is pleased with yield, but disappointed with quality. "Were two-thirds through the wheat and its coming off at 15.5-16% moisture. Malacca is yielding 3.75t/acre, but Herewards quality is disappointing at 180 Hagberg and 12.6-12.7% protein [new scale]."
In Bucks, Chris Perrys Equinox is topping 11t/ha (4.5t/acre) and Rialto 8.65t/ha (3.5t/acre) from land more used to 6-7.5t/ha (2.5-3t/acre).
In Oxon, Charles Wellesley reports some sprouting in first wheat Riband. But at up to 10t/ha (4t/acre) it is still yielding 2.5t/ha (1t/acre) above normal.
Not all wheat quality has been lost, though. John Hawthorn at Flawborough Farms, Notts, saw Malacca cut last week yield 12.2t/ha (4.9t/acre) and 12.8% protein [new scale], 400 Hagberg and 78.0kg/hl.
At Barton-under-Needwood, Staffs, more consistent yields please, says Steven McKendrick. "First wheat Riband and Consort are producing 3.7t/acre at 15% moisture."
SOUTH
FINE weather last weekend saw combines back in wheat and most is now cleared. Growers are turning their attention to beans, linseed and spring rape.
"Although wheat yields are holding at a regular 4t/acre, Hagbergs are now down below 100 and specific weights under 78. There are signs of sprouting on every farm," says Nigel Bascombe of Dalgetys Calne office. He reckons 60% of wheat and 75% of spring barley was cut in Wilts and Hants by the start of the week.
farmers weekly barometer grower John Chalcraft managed just 4ha (10 acres) of Abbot second wheat and 20ha (49 acres) of Lexicon naked oats for seed last week, yielding 8.9t/ha (3.6t/acre) and 5.55t/ha (2.24t/acre), respectively.
"Given a good few days well wipe off the rest of our wheat – 50 acres of Isengrain, 52 acres of Hereward and 31 of Equinox, all for seed," he said early this week. "Its still all standing but looking a bit grey."
On Salisbury Plain, Charles Street had one-third of his 300ha (740 acres) of wheat and all his peas and sunflowers still to do. Yield post-rain should match the 9.9t/ha (4t/acre) of his first cut Rialto, he reckons. But 8.1ha (20 acres) August-drilled Riband did under 7.4t/ha (3t/acre).
At Wadhurst, East Sussex James Fuggles wheat was finished in mid-August. "Harvest has been snatch and grab, but the results are as good as any weve had on our Weald clay."
WEST
AFTER standing idle for several days, combines worked round-the-clock over the weekend and the early part of this week.
"Most growers are just concentrating on getting crops off and will think about quality premiums later," says Kim Wells of Acorn Arable, Droitwich.
"Recent wheat samples suggest Hagbergs have fallen steeply to 80-250. There could also be a serious problem of pre-germination with malting barley."
David Craig, Westwood Farm, Much Wenlock, Shropshire, saw Hagberg in Hereward winter wheat plunge from 360 to 80 after rain. Specific weight slipped to 68kg/hl and he abandoned hope of milling premiums on the 141.7ha (350 acres) still standing.
Pembrokeshire grower Meurig Raymond hopes to have avoided pre-germination in the first 1000t of "superb quality" Optic barley cut on a malting contract. But it has not been tested. "Equinox wheat has yielded 4t/acre at 18% moisture, but we had to spray with Roundup because strobes delayed ripening."
Cheshire growers enjoyed better conditions from the middle of last week and made up for lost time.
Stephen Shaw, Alston Grange, Runcorn, managed to harvest 9-10.5t/ha (3.75-4.4/acre) of Abbot and Consort winter wheat. Test results will arrive at the weekend and he expects the bold samples with specific weights of about 78 to have good protein and Hagberg.
EASTANGLIA
YIELDS are holding up, but quality has been washed away by one of the areas wettest Augusts ever. Norfolk seems hardest hit, with many milling and malting crops still in the field.
Traders at Allied Grains Diss office estimate only 15% of East Anglias wheat was cut pre-rain. Since then, specific weights have tumbled. "They had a pretty good start, at 80kg/hl. But we are seeing samples from Norfolk and Suffolk at 68-70kg/hl now." Any wheat with a Hagberg of over 150 will be worth keeping separate, they say.
At Great Fransham, Norfolk, farmers weekly barometer grower Robert Salmon has been running the drier all night and had half his wheat still to cut last Tuesday. Madrigal was yielding 10.8t/ha at 20% moisture on Monday. "Thats about average for a second wheat here," he says.
Nearby, at Tittleshall, Robert Garner has hired-in an extra combine. "Were miles behind," he says. With only 20ha out of 134ha of wheat cut, Hereward has been abandoned and feed Consort is being taken first. Further south, progress has been better. Andrew Kerr finished wheat at Wylding Tree Farm, North Weald, Essex on Monday. "Yields have been better than normal. We hope for 4t/acre, and most have done better than that." Specific weights down to 72kg/hl suggest 10% of wheat yield has been lost since they started.
In Cambs, John and Alan Steels yields from the September-drilled, all first wheats have averaged 12t/ha (4.9t/acre). "Thats 1.3-1.4t/ha up on normal."
If weather held farm manager Charles Carter reckoned wheat would be finished by Wednesday night at Harps Farm, Great Hallingbury, on the Herts/Essex border. Yields across 400ha (1000 acres) have been very good, averaging about 10t/ha (4t/acre). "But I reckon weve won the prize for the lowest Hagberg – 62!" he adds.
SOUTH-WEST
REMARKABLE progress in peas and wheat has been made considering the limited time between the showers, but wheat quality is becoming more variable.
Fewer samples have good Hagbergs, and late nitrogen seems to have gone into yield rather than protein, says Ted Bird of Cannington Grain, Somerset. "We are seeing a lot of low proteins – 8-9% under the old scheme." Ergot is causing rejections, he adds.
Wessex Grain reports Hagbergs of 120-350. Spark has held up well but Rialto and Hereward are tending to drop. Up to half the malting barley samples have been rejected because of pre-germination.
Duncan Lyons, Devon Grain, reports most wheats failing Grade 1 milling standard on specific weight (72-74kg/hl) and Hagbergs.
In south Dorset, Robert Hyde got all his winter barley away for malting and gathered seed rye and herbage seed in good order. He was tackling undersown spring barley when rain returned. "We are keeping our fingers crossed."
Cornish progress has been patchy. Barometer growers Matthew and Paul Dale snatched Hunter wheat at 18-22% moisture. Averaging over 7.7t/ha (3t/acres) it is pretty good for the land, they say.
NORTH
WHEAT is only just fit in the north of the region, but further south rain has caused more concern.
North East Grains Marketing Manager Helen Sykes says half the Riband and Consort delivered to Morpeth is biscuit standard, and quality is good on the small amounts of Rialto and Hereward she has seen. "Rain hasnt scuppered the quality so far."
In the north-west, about 50% of the wheat is harvested, but the spring barley is barely started and a lot of peas are still in the field. "Grain quality, protein, nitrogen and Hagberg are at risk if we dont get a fine week," says John Taylor of Glasson Grain at Lancaster.
Barometer grower Anthony Hornshaw is one-third of the way through his wheat. "Samples look very good and with the rain coming before the crop was fully ripe the Hagberg is all right, so far." First wheat is yielding 11.7t/ha (4.75t/acre) corrected for moisture, which is 18-20% in the field.
In Northumberland, wheat harv-esting is only just starting, after up to 76mm (3in) of rain last week.
SCOTLAND
NORTH of the border, growers have had the best weather in the country. Some havent even lit the drier and yields seem good so far.
farmers weekly barometer grower James Grant Suttie is cracking on at Balgone Farm, and was aiming to start his peas early this week. "Were prepared to dry them down if necessary, but if we pick the right day, theyll just leap into the combine." Like most in East Lothian, he has combined all his spring barley. "It was all below 1.4% nitrogen and yields were 3-3.5 t/acre," he says.
That has been typical for most of Scotland, with most crops making malting quality. "Ours came in at 1.4 to 1.6% nitrogen, even though it tends to be high on this farm," says Douglas Allan of Pitroddie Farm, near Perth. "Its been an easy harvest, and weve had zero drying charges."
Further north at East-town Tarland Farm near Aboyne in Aberdeenshire, Stephen Allardyce is still a week away from starting on his spring barley. "It looks quite promising, though."
In contrast, its been a mixed harvest for oilseed rape, says Graeme Leslie of United Oilseeds Ltd. Late frosts are blamed for pockets of poor pollination and yields.
N IRELAND
GROWERS were finishing winter barley and getting into spring barley and winter wheat across the province earlier this week.
There are still pockets of winter barley in the north-west, but good progress should be made with winter wheat, spring barley and winter oats in the south-east this week, says the Department of Agriculture.
Barometer grower Graham Furey, Killyleagh, Co Down, says harvest is back to normal, after the early start. "Harvest has been catchy over the last week but weve taken 4ha (10 acres) of Riband winter wheat at 3t/acre and its coming off at 21% moisture. In these wet summers we see the value of routine ear-wash sprays."
Spotlight on west barometer
With only 105 mm (4in) of rain this month and no barley to cut, Andrew Cooke admits harvest at North Farm has been less affected than elsewhere.
Had rain not returned midday Tuesday, he should have finished all his 108ha (267 acres) of winter wheat.
"We have been quite fortunate. As it is we have about 80 acres left. We started on Aug 17 with second crop Riband. We dont often go before then anyway. I reckon it did about 3t/acre though the sample was better than I anticipated. We have had 3.3t/acre from Haven in the same slot, but Id be very worried about sprouting if we were still growing it this year.
We have gone through 4t/acre with Equinox, but I cant tell what the Consort has done yet." Only about half the wheat has required drying.
Sprouting in the ear makes biscuit premiums very unlikely. "But it could be worse. Some crops that have gone down are sprouting horribly.
"Last year, half to two-thirds of our crops were down by now." 1 litre/ha of hard-to-get Upgrade (chlormequat + 2-chlorophosphonic acid) or Terpal (2-chlorethylphosphonic acid + mepiquat chloride) just before ear emergence made a big difference.
Take-all is the main reason for the low second wheat yield which, with hindsight, did not justify strobilurin fungicide, he says.
Despite the wet June and recent downpours there is a noticeable difference between the spring bean fields which were irrigated and the one which was not. "The irrigated ones look very extremely good."
But hybrid Hyola 401 and conventional Sprinter spring oilseed rape look much the same. "The only difference is the £20/acre more we paid for the Hyola seed. Unless it comes two weeks earlier it will be a case of a first and last try."