Farmer Focus: A very pleasing harvest in Ireland

Harvest is progressing really well. Weather has allowed us to harvest our crops as soon as they are ripe. We have cut our winter barley, oats and oilseed rape.

We have even cut one field of wheat, and it yielded OK.

Most of the barley was up against 10t/ha, which we are very happy about as it gets the worst slot in our rotation, following wheat and before OSR.

See also: 4 ways to solve common soil issues on arable farms

About the author

Peadar Whyte

Peadar Whyte farms 1,600ha of arable land across County Dublin, Meath, Kildare and Louth in north-east Ireland, as part of a multi-generational family farm, Whyte Brothers. The farm was established by Peader’s grandfather, Peter Whyte, and later expanded in partnership with Peter’s seven sons – including Peadar’s father, Eddie – and seven of their sons (Peadar’s cousins). Peadar grows wheat, barley, oats, oilseed rape, beans, potatoes and a variety of forage and cover crops. The wider farm operation also finishes 500 beef cattle annually.

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Winter oats performed more impressively, achieving similar yields to the barley.

Heavy land has done particularly well. Its moisture retention capabilities in a dry spring have proven useful. In Ireland, heavy land often means muck and flooding in winter, but this year it has been a superpower, returning the best yields.

I’m sure mistakes happen on every farm, but I like to call them trials. A missed pass of the sprayer on one field of oats cost us at least 3t/ha.

It missed a final treatment of fungicide, potash and trace elements. While this is a painful lesson, we will try to learn from it. It is tempting to make cutbacks with prices where they are, but be careful what you leave out.

Oilseed rape yields are also positive, with most crops hitting 5t/ha. With the mild winter, oilseed rape was an easy crop to manage, most of it grown on relatively little nitrogen.

With OSR prices holding up better than cereals, it will be one of the more profitable crops on the farm this year.

Straw trade is strong. Although winter crops are yielding well, spring crops do not look wonderful and straw will be low.

This, along with a perception that straw is scarce in the UK, and a government straw chopping scheme in Ireland which pays farmers for incorporating straw into soils, means it is holding its value well.

Farmers are sick of being price takers for all the rest of their produce and are not budging on the one thing they can control – which is straw prices. Best of luck to everyone and stay safe during the busy season.