Farmer Focus writer Richard Beachell has finished his winter barley and is hoping to get his rape in before the rain.

The 40ha (100 acres) of Pearl yielded very well at 8.4t/ha (3.4t/acre) and 16% moisture. At 1.4% Nitrogen it had all been moved to malsters from Mr Beachell’s Field House Farm, Driffield, Humberside.

“We’re into the rape now and it’s been disappointing – it will be struggling to do 3.7t/ha (1.5t/acre),” he said. That would be almost 20% below average. With 30ha (75 acres) cut Mr Beachell had another 20ha (50 acres) of Castille to do before the rain arrived.

Swallow vining peas had also been harvested this week (w/e 1 August), with a pleasing yield of 5t/ha (2t/acre) across 53ha (130 acres). “They say that if you have a good vining pea year you will have a good wheat year, so fingers crossed.”

Crop: Winter barley
Variety: Pearl
Area: 40ha (100 acres)
Yield: 8.4t/ha (3.4t/acre)

Crop: Oilseed rape
Variety: Castille
Area: 50ha (125 acres)
Yield: 3.7t/ha (1.5t/acre)