What a season 2023 is turning out to be. Harvest was completed in near record time, all safely gathered before the end of August with minimal drying charges, with the bonus of combinable crops performing above their five-year yield average.

I have always been of the view that we do better in a dry year. We have accumulated just over 400mm of rain – 57% of a 34-year average.

Not only is it easier on men and machinery, but crops also seem to perform better.

See also: New slurry treatment fixes N from air to create enriched fertiliser

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

Winter cereal drilling has made good progress since the start of September. We are fortunate that we do not need to delay drilling due to a lack of grassweed pressure, in particular the dreaded blackgrass.

All our winter barley is in the ground, with the plough used for primary cultivation, followed by our 4m Lemkin Solitair to sow the crop.

This allows our main cultivation team to concentrate on establishing winter wheat.

Primary cultivations involve three (probably two-and-a-half in real terms) Case Quadtracs and two Simba SL cultivators for primary non-inversion cultivations, followed by a 10m Simba Culti-press for secondary cultivations and seed-bed consolidation.

The crop is then sown with a 12m Horsch Pronto drill. Our aim is to average 80ha/day for the bulk of the sowings. Output inevitably decreases as the season progresses.

With October now upon us, we find ourselves with only a few second wheats still to sow. We will then be in the position of waiting for the potato squads to clear fields.

Fingers crossed the weather holds out long enough for fields to be presented in good condition after the potatoes are harvested.

This week also saw the departure of my middle son, Archie, to further his education at Harper Adams University.

He is the third generation of Fullers to attend Harper and, like his father and grandfather before him, I hope he has an enjoyable and memorable time, along with a sound and rounded education.