John Hutcheson's late nights in the drier have certainly been bearable given the end result from his Fuego beans.
At 5.4t/ha the yield was pleasing enough, but the real bonus has been the market price. However, slugs are already eating into next year's potential wheat profits.
"Compared with the wheat price which seems to be all over the place beans have held up very well, and I've sold as many as I dare at £200/t," he said. "It was a pleasant surprise, and I'm very pleased with that."
With only 30ha of second wheats still to drill, part Predator and part Alchemy, he was hoping 3t of Alchemy seed ordered would arrive before the weather closed in.
"We're not expecting any rain until Monday.
"Our big problem is still slugs. They're on second wheats now, not just the crops after oilseed rape."
One 23ha field of rape has had to be re-drilled, mainly because of capping after heavy rain. But slugs also had a bearing on that decision, he said.
"We're using a lot more pellets than usual, and some wheat fields have been getting three applications of full rate Allure - 9kg/ha.
"We're using Allure because it's a good pasta-based product with plenty of baiting points."
He also believes its metaldehyde active ingredient is more environmentally acceptable than other options.
"It's not a cheap exercise, though. Each time through costs about £4/acre, which effectively knocks £1/t off the bottom line. But it's essential - if we didn't do it we could lose the crop."
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