Surprise showers stopped the combines in Yorkshire today (4 August), frustrating contractor Keith Snowball who was expecting a fine day.

“It was meant to be dry but we had showers this morning,” he said. He had nearly finished the winter barley and was about half way through cutting oilseed rape.

“Barley has been very variable – the sandy land has done better than the heavy soil.” Mr Snowball had mostly cut Pearl and Carat, with yields ranging from 4.9t/ha (2t/acre) to 8.6t/ha (3.5t/acre), and averaging 6.7t/ha (2.7t/acre).

Catana oilseed rape had done well at over 3.7t/ha (1.5t/acre) but Grace had been infected with Sclerotinia and yielded just 2-3.5t/ha (0.8-1.4t/acre).

Dalguise oats looked very promising, and second wheats would be about 10 days away from combining, he added.

Crop: Winter barley
Varieties: Pearl and Carat
Yield: 6.7t/ha (2.7t/acre)

Crop: Oilseed rape
Variety: Catana
Yield: 3.7t/ha (1.5t/acre)

Variety: Grace
Yield: 2-3.5t/ha (0.8-1.4t/acre)