The sun is finally shining again, the first time since the combine has come out of the shed. Like many farmers here, we have been cutting wet wheat at every opportunity, so the old drier has been working overtime with the fans upsetting the natives, as well as using far too much gas.

We are now cutting at 14% moisture and the jibes of “you should have waited” are coming in thick and fast. But how do you combine a large wheat acreage in the first week of September? The answer is: You can’t. Yields are variable with our light land being disappointing, as expected, with the strong land showing reasonable results. We will average about 8.75t/ha – nothing outstanding, but fairly good considering the year we have just had.

The oilseed rape has been drilled and emerged. We have taken the chance with all the moisture in the soil to reduce seed rate. Before Cereals, I gave a presentation to Bayer staff and they suggested this as an option for lack of yield improvement in rape.

It causes anxiety though as we put it on with our Simba Solo 600 cultivator, and we have always been reluctant to drop rates too low. However, I did a good chunk of land with a Claydon drill this year to help us get the bulk of the rape in early, the reason being, partridges, if you don’t get it up and away they decimate areas. Past records here have always shown the Claydon drill produces some of our best yields.

Finally, thanks to all the guys on the estate for sticking with harvest. It has been a very frustrating summer and they all worked really hard. Good luck Charl who is leaving us to return to South Africa after a year of dedicated work.

• For more columns from Arable Farmer Focus writers