With all winter barley combined a start has been made on the spring cereals at Peter Seaman’s farm in Norfolk.

The only concern so far is the oilseed rape. “It is very dry, below 6%, so we are in need of rain. We attempted to lift some of the rape but it was too green.”

With the barley already combined yielding between 5.9-7.2t/ha (2.4–2.9t/acre), average for the farm, things are looking good. This can also be seen in the farm’s screenings which is getting figures in the 90’s of retained grain.

However the nitrogen percentage is at the lower end of the scale and moisture is around 11-12%.

Included in the 360ha (900 acres) of winter wheat still to be harvested, is 98 acres of Alchemy which is being grown on a seed contract for Nickersons.

• Crop: Winter barley
• Variety: Maris Otter
• Area: 80 ha (200 acres)
• Yield: 5.5-5.9t/ha (2.25-2.4t/acre)
• Quality: Nitrogen 1.59%

• Crop: Winter barley
• Variety: Pearl
• Area: 121ha (300 acres)
• Yield: 7.2t/ha (2.9t/acre)
• Quality: Nitrogen 2.9%

• Crop: Spring barley
• Variety: Cocktail
• Area: 80ha
• Yield: 5.9t/ha