As the prolonged weather continues, the crops are ripening fast. We are certainly going to be into the wheat by the end of July – not something that happens with us very often.

Due to cashflow requirements, we have sold the wheat for August movement at an underwhelming price. But bearing in mind how the last few seasons have gone, long holding has not paid off one bit.

We’ll be banking the cash and moving on into next year, with the linseed and straw sales trickling out over the winter and spring to keep some money coming in.  

See also: 4 key steps to reduce the risk of ergot in grains

About the author

Richard Harris

Richard Harris manages his family farm in partnership with his father in south Devon. The farm grows wheat, barley, linseed, grass and cover crops, with a small pick-your-own pumpkin patch.

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Having been to a few variety trials this summer we are going to revamp the blend, which is getting long in the tooth and producing a significant number of off types.

The new mix will consist of Bamford, Mayflower, Champion, Solitaire and Palladium.

Although there are going to be some significant yellow rust changes in these varieties, it’s not a disease which is much of a problem for us and is controlled quite easily.

It’s always septoria which drives our variety choice, along with bushel weight, so these varieties seem to have these qualities once combined.

The only slight concern with the blend will be standing power. We’ll have to be mindful of that next spring with our growth regulators. I’m pretty excited to see how it fairs compared with our previous blend results.  

We’ll be adding a nutrient seed treatment to the varieties consisting of manganese, copper and zinc, with a humic and fulvic acid mode of action, therefore, promoting root development and tolerance to all the usual autumn/winter challenges we seem to be facing.

As the old boys say, “well sown is half grown,” and I’m certainly a believer in that.

What isn’t fairing too well in these conditions is our pumpkins.

They’re holding on at this stage, but I fear if the long forecast is correct we will be seeing wilting plants with very little fruit set by the end of July.

This is something we experienced in 2022, which ended in a significantly reduced yield, fruit size and profit margin. So, rain dances and prayers will be beginning shortly for our two sites.