I can’t help but feel we have been left out of the early flying start to harvest. We have not started as of yet (22 July) as we don’t grow winter barley or oilseed rape.

Our second wheats are still about 20% moisture as the rain arrived. All the machinery is ready and pointing in the right direction, just waiting for a break in the weather.

It was always going to happen after the driest spring and summer for years, that as soon as crops were ready it was bound to rain.

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About the author

Keith Challen

Arable Farmer Focus writer

Keith Challen manages 1,200ha of heavy clay soils in the Vale of Belvoir, Leicestershire, for Belvoir Farming Company. Cropping includes wheat, oilseed rape and elderflowers. The farm is also home to the Belvoir Fruit Farms drinks business.

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In fact, it’s probably a good thing the wheat isn’t ready. It just shows how these heavy soils can hang on in a dry time.

Fingers crossed it converts to a good yield, particularly as we are massively up on ambient light, which is a big contributor to yield.

Loading old crop grain out of one shed as the new crop comes in another is common for us and this year will not be any different.

About 90% of the farm’s produce leaves in July, which always makes it interesting in an early harvest year. I have to say, the recent rain has been a blessing just slowing the start date a week.

This year marks the last harvest with the current Fendt ideal 10T combine. What a great machine it has been, and on the whole it has been reliable.

The replacement choice will no doubt come down to price, so an interesting summer of demonstrations lie ahead. One thing is for sure, we will be sticking with a draper-style flex header.

The Sustainable Farming Incentive legume fallows established well in early spring and will finish flowering just in time to drill with a first wheat.

The jury is out as to whether we’ll go straight in with the drill or cultivate a seed-bed. My gut feeling is some and some – this style of farming is all very new to me.

As well as first wheats, next year’s cropping also includes second wheats, winter beans and spring oats providing the weather plays ball.

I’m tempted to try some mixed species cropping with beans and oats or “boats”, so watch this space.