Harvest is finished at Charlie Watson-Smyth’s Tregirls Farm, Padstow, Cornwall, but there haven’t been many highlights to it.

“We finished two days ago (31 August) – we’ve had the driest year since 1976 and yields to correspond.”

Although other parts of Cornwall had suffered from heavy rain during July and August, Tregirls Farm, on the coast, occupied the driest spot in the county, he said.

“We have had 14” of rain this year – and 1.5” in August. We had lots of misty drizzle which stopped us from combining, but not enough to register in the rain gauge.”

Tipple spring barley had struggled to make 4.9t/ha (2t/acre), with Suzuka winter barley not much better, at 5.6t/ha (2.25t/acre).

Alchemy winter wheat came in at below 7.4t/ha (3t/acre).

“Quality was fine – the bushelweights were good, it’s just the crops were uniformly thin.”

However, spring barley, finished this week, had died off early and then sprouted. “It was clean and standing but it had sprouted – I have never seen that in August.”

Most farmers were also finishing up in the area, he added. “Everyone is reckoning on finishing this weekend.”

Crop: Winter wheat
Variety: Alchemy
Yield: <7.4t/ha (3t/acre)

Crop: Spring barley
Variety: Tipple
Yield: 4.9tha (2t/acre)

Crop: Winter barley
Variety: Suzuka
Yield: 5.6t/ha (2.25t/acre)