All our arable crops have had the last of their sprays and the grass has been topped up with nitrogen after silage-making, which produced a large crop.

A huge sigh of relief went up from the silage gang when they left a 30-acre field. The forage driver said they had to stop more than 50 times because of the metal detector going off - apparently every 30 yards or so. (Note to self - make sure that the cartridges are better picked up this year!)

It's a strange feeling coming back to the yard with the sprayer for the last time. All year I've been trying to protect growing crops from weeds, pests and diseases. Then I realise that in just a couple of weeks' time we shall be thinking of killing them to be ready for harvest. I feel it will be Roundup all the way until the middle of September.

With harvest fast approaching and crops looking well, here's a thought.

If it is a wet one (I hope it's not) and grain driers are going flat out drinking very expensive diesel, could there not be some merit in trying to pass on the extra cost of the diesel?

This could be done in two ways. First, the limit on grain moisture should be raised. This will also help the farming community reduce its carbon footprint. Drying grain to 16 %, (as long as it is stored properly) would, I feel, go a long way to help reduce diesel use.

Second, we could all pass on the extra cost of that diesel to the grain merchant, who in turn could pass it on to the miller or maltster - who no doubt would then again increase the prices of bread and beer.

Anyway, I can only dream.