As 2022 draws to a close, I guess it’s time to reflect on what has been quite an incredible year on the farm.

When asked “what is the biggest challenge on your farm?”, I’m sure most farmers would answer “the weather”.

The influence Mother Nature can give seasonally and the effect on daily activities can be very significant.

This year, however, conditions in the Scottish Borders – although dry at times – have been almost perfect for large-scale arable farming, with progress rarely hampered by inclement weather.

See also: Autumn-sown crops fare well after mild weather

About the author

David Fuller

David Fuller manages 3,500ha of medium sandy clays for McGregor Farms based at Coldstream, on both sides of the border. Cropping includes wheat, spring barley, winter barley and oilseed rape, spring beans and vining peas. Potatoes are farmed in collaboration with Greenvale AP.

Read more articles by David Fuller

Establishment last autumn was good, with crops set up well to tolerate the wet end to 2021.

January saw a reprieve from the wet conditions, allowing fields to dry in time for spring applications to commence in relatively good conditions.

February, March, April and May were average in terms of rainfall, although rain events were larger, but fewer, than normal with many dry days in between.

The summer months were dry with what seemed like endless days of sunshine and unprecedented heat in July and the first half of August.

The pattern of very wet Augusts seem to have been broken with the last two not being the wettest months of the year. Long may that continue.

Harvest was started and completed 10 days earlier than “normal”, with excellent grain quality and moisture contents.

The yields achieved for all combinable crops were well above our five-year averages, with winter barley up 5%, winter wheat up 7.5% and oilseed rape up 8.5%. Our star performer was spring barley, up 15%.

Dry soils led to very little soil damage during harvest and allowed swift progress sowing this year’s crop, despite the 100mm of rain that fell in September.

With all field work now complete, its time to plan the applications for next spring and ensure all the kit is adequately maintained and ready to go again in the not-so-distant future.

We can only pray that we see another 2022 soon.