Successful harvest before wheat

15 August 2001



Successful harvest before wheat

ROGER MOORE, of R J Moore & Sons, farming at Stapleford near Salisbury, is combining peas at the moment. He mostly grows seed crops and harvest has been successful thus far on the chalk-based farm.

Pea variety Cromer has a weighed yield of 5.6t/ha (2.25t/acre). This is a good average for the 80ha (200 acres) of the pre-basic crop.

Millennium winter oats, grown for pre-basic and C1/C2 seed has yielded a pleasing 8.9t/ha (3.6t/acre). “This has been a good break crop and I will grow it again in the future.”

There are still 60ha (150 acres) of Optic spring barley to combine for seed and malting. So far it has yielded 7.2-7.4t/ha (2.9-3t/acre). Some of the crop was drilled late in March and April.

He says everything on the farm is virtually fit and hopes to be into wheat by the weekend. “Ive been pleasantly surprised by yields, despite a poor season. This chalk land, if farmed properly, always seems to come up with the goods.” There is about 325ha (800 acres) of wheat to combine.

There is 60ha (150 acres) of new-variety Deben wheat on the farm. “It looks like a clean variety and may suit the light land as it does not stand that well.”

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