Farmers have faced yet another difficult autumn drilling season as continuous rainstorms play havoc with those attempting to get crops in the ground.

Some growers who managed to get fields drilled have witnessed devastating flooding and damage to crops, in what was the wettest October in England since 2000, with 147.2mm of rain recorded (Gov.uk).

However, a recent break in the weather has allowed others to get some late-drilled November crops planted.

See also: Farmer Focus: De-risking strategy looks sensible after heavy rain

Third-generation tenant farmer Jono Dixon described his saturated soils on the Crown Estate Sunk Island as a “sponge” after his winter wheat crop was struck by consistent rain.

He remains hopeful that crops will establish well, given the wet weather.

Maybe there’s hope for some of the wheat. I’ve to be honest, i never expected to see this amount of wheat peeping through what i can only describe as sponge. This was yesterday morning. I’ll be passing these fields in an hour will more plants visible? Headlands are saturated. pic.twitter.com/AoCWj0OScv

— @No1sunkfarmer ©️ (@no1sunkfarmer) November 2, 2023

Will Riddington, farm manager for AB Gould and Son in Stamford, Cambridgeshire, sums up autumn 2023 in this washout video.

Autumn drilling 2023 summed up.. pic.twitter.com/TkhaMiyyxP

— Will Riddington (@WRiddington) November 5, 2023

Over in Ireland, Cork farmer Shane Casey managed to find a two-day weather window to plant winter wheat and barley and, to his surprise, ground conditions were “OK”.

#WinterTillage2023 A 2 day window and its go time again in #EastCork. To be honest I wasn’t expecting anyone to be at any field work but to my surprised ground conditions were OK. Winter Barley & Winter Wheat going in. #IrishFarming #IrishAgri #IrishTillage pic.twitter.com/r6uPfUgQse

— Shane Casey (@sgcaseyck25) November 12, 2023

Despite another disappointing weather forecast, mixed farmer Donald Ross, in the Scottish Highlands, managed to get half of his winter beans drilled up.

Another rubbish week forecast so instead of putting my feet up after #Serviceofremembrance I got the troops to help put keels (marker paint) on the tups
Ploughed 6 acres and here I am halfway through drilling 15 acre Winter Beans #LastRolloftyeDice #familyfarm pic.twitter.com/QiTGirVVQm

— DONALD ROSS (@vaderbogger) November 12, 2023

Blue skies in Bedfordshire last week enabled Ben Beazley to get some more winter wheat planted with his vintage machinery kit.

Bit more wheat this afternoon 🤞😎 pic.twitter.com/PDc1XgTwg1

— Ben Beazley (@BBeazley1) November 9, 2023

The sun was also shining in North Yorkshire, where Nick Wilson was busy planting winter wheat behind sugar beet.

Cracking day for putting a bit of wheat straight in behind beet. ⁦@MzuriDrills⁩ ⁦@ValtraGlobal⁩ pic.twitter.com/IYwIYfzAAQ

— Nick Wilson (@Nick_Wilson3) November 11, 2023

Finally, Farmers Weekly’s very own Farmer Focus writer, John Pawsey, managed to get his wheat and bean bicrop planted just before the rain hit.

He has his fingers crossed the crop establishes well.

We only got two days sowing our wheat/bean bi-crop before the rain. Beans taking their time to emerge but getting there. 8+ days still to go 🙏🏻🤞 pic.twitter.com/8wLvIqSIcU

— John Pawsey 🌞 (@hanslope) November 10, 2023