Carl Tuer finished combining at Rock Farms, Alnwick, Northumberland, on Saturday (6 September), making it a particularly early completion this year.

“It dragged on a bit at the end, because it was misty and damp – so it’s good to be finished,” he said.

First wheats on the whole were very good, although one block of slug-damaged Cassius let the side down, at 8.8t/ha. Myriad yielded 11.6t/ha, with Leeds at 11.4t, and Viscount at 10.8t/ha. “We’re delighted with that,” said Mr Tuer.

“The surprising thing was the second wheats, which did really well. Viscount on two different farms yielded 10.1t/ha and 10.85t, with Leeds at 10.7t/ha.

“But interestingly, although the average was up on last year, the best individual yields weren’t as good.”

See also: Harvest forecast heaps pressure on grain markets.

Belgravia spring barley averaged 7.4t/ha, having managed 8.2t/ha last year, despite sitting under snow for two months, said Mr Tuer. “It just makes no sense – the crops have wanted for nothing this year – perhaps they need that bit more cold weather.”

Cassia winter barley averaged 9.1t/ha, with Glacier coming off at 8.9t/ha.

Of the oilseed rape varieties, PR46W21 topped the table at 4.7t/ha, with Catana at 4.3t/ha and Incentive 4t/ha.

“We’ve got 220ha of oilseed rape drilled, although we had to redrill 40ha of Catana because is just didn’t seem to grow, so we’re looking into that,” said Mr Tuer.

He had also sown 200ha of first wheats and 80ha of winter barley. “We’ll have a bit of a break now before getting onto the second wheats,” he added.

“Apart from organic crops and a few beans, harvest is finished around here – we’re usually the last ones as we’re cutting quite a bit with just one combine. We could just do with some rain now, as we’re desperately dry.”