Wheat success story in ‘south-east’ Essex. 

Xi19 winter wheat at Doggetts Farm near Rochester has left Dan Squier, very pleased. The 100ha was consistently achieving high yields and good milling quality.

Mr Squiers said that his crops usually suffered from the dry but not this season he said: “We’ve been very lucky in this south-eastern corner of Essex.”

While the Xi19 had low proteins, Hagbergs were well over 300 and Mr Squiers said the variety was yielding 10t/ha plus.

He had also cut 100ha Solstice, 40ha Soissons and 50ha Sogood winter wheat and Mr Squires hoped to finish the last Xi19 of the total 340ha of winter wheat with just two days more work. Yields ranged between 9-11 t/ha for the wheat.

He finished sclerotinia affected oilseed rape three weeks ago. It reached 3.1 t/ha (1.25 t/acre) which he said was somewhat disappointing.

He also had 300ha of hemp which he planned to start in 10 days. It looked very good and had thrived in the wet, he said. 

In comparison with the previous year Mr Squiers said “We’re well up to date.” adding that it was surprising really.

• Crop: Oilseed rape
o Yield: 3.1 t/ha

• Crop: Winter wheat
• Area: 340ha
o Variety: Xi19
o Area: 100ha
o Yield: >10t/ha so far
o Hagbergs: >300

o Variety: Solstice, Soissons and Sogood
o Yield: 9-11 t/ha

*Harvest Highlights 2007 is sponsored by RAGT