Nick Pratt of Downham Market, Norfolk has started combining Sancerre ‘white wheat.’

With just 3ha cut it was too early to calculate yield, though specific weight looked good at 75-76 kg/hl. Mr Pratt expected low screenings and the Sancerre was destined for Weetabix.

A total of 60ha of winter wheat had been cut on the farm, including Alchemy and some Gladiator. He expected both the Alchemy and Gladiator to yield more pleasingly than Sancerre and said they both looked well.
He also had a little Dover milling wheat not quite ready to harvest.

Mr Pratt had also cut 75-80ha of Tipple spring barley which he said was the success story for him this year. So far it had consistently yielded 6-6.5 t/ha with specific weight at 64 kg/hl and nitrogen at 1.2-1.47%.

“I’ve never grown barley with as low [nitrogen] figures as that.”

Mr Pratt also grew 67ha (167.5 acres) oilseed rape which at best had yielded 3.8 t/ha (1.52 t/acre) on one field, but produced an overall average of about 3t/ha (1.2t/acre).

Mr Pratt reckoned that wheat yields would be average.

 “It’s a spring barley year rather than a wheat year.”

• Crop: White wheat
• Variety: Sancerre
• Area: 3ha cut
• Bushel weights: 75-76 kg/hl

• Crop: Oilseed rape
• Variety: 67ha
• Yield: 3T/ha 

• Crop: Spring barley
• Variety: Tipple
• Area: 75-80ha
• Yield: 6-6.5 T/ha
• Bushel weight: 64 kg/hl
• Nitrogen: 1.2-1.47.

*Harvest Highlights 2007 is sponsored by RAGT