Damp drilling at Cadmore End

Charlie Edgley is busy drilling today (23 September) at Kensham Farm, Cadmore End, Berkshire, but the soil is only just dry enough to work.

“Thankfully, we finished harvest a week ago, but at that time a friend had 324ha of spring wheat, oilseed rape and beans left to cut near Great Missenden, and a contractor I know had 400ha left to do as well,” he said.

Since then, it had rained almost daily, so farmers with crops left to cut in the area were finding conditions very frustrating.

However, at Kensham Farm, Tybalt spring wheat had yielded extremely well after fallow, at 9t/ha, said Mr Edgley.

When averaged with Mulika spring wheat, and Crusoe, Gallant and Cordiale winter crops, wheat had levelled at 7.2t/ha overall. “That was a bit disappointing, but we had large areas of fields where there was no crop at all,” he added.

“Considering the season I suppose it wasn’t too bad – and quality was very good.”

Spring barley had yielded 6.8t/ha, with a phenomenal bushel weight of 70kg/hl plus. And winter oats had done well, at 7.2t/ha.

Winter rape averaged 4.7t/ha, with spring rape at 3.3t/ha, said Mr Edgley. “We were lucky to have good harvesting conditions – and we’ve been on drilling winter wheat since Friday.”

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