Cooling is the priority for Jamie Rogers who started winter barley harvest about a week earlier than usual on 17 July at White Hall Farm, Hampton Bishop, near Hereford.

“We’re now into 115 acres of oilseed rape – Castille – which is quite good at about 30cwt/acre.”

The crop was quite weedy after dry weather at drilling meant the pre-emergence herbicide was omitted.

“The first field came off at 10% moisture, but the rest is about 7.5%, so I’ll be able to blend it. We’re just taking the heat out of it with vertical towers.”

His 36ha (90 acres) of Camion barley after wheat yielded, as expected, about 7.4t/ha (3t/acre) at 12% moisture, but with very little straw. “I think it got a bit stressed.”

Brother Kier’s later sown Jewel after maize and potatoes gave about 0.6t/ha (5cwt/acre) more, he noted.

Despite missing localised storms and having had no recent rain, his 162ha (400 acres) of wheat looked promising.

“We should be into it tomorrow – we don’t normally expect to start wheat until the first week in August.

“I need to get some stubbles turnips sown, but the ground is far too dry for cultivations.”