Finally, we have had a few days of spring weather, although we have still not achieved more than four days in a row without rain for several months.

After a long and gloomy winter, this weather is certainly what crops and farmers need.

Oilseed rape is flowering well and is as even as I have seen for several years. It has certainly brightened the landscape – even on the many rainy days.

See also: Farmer Focus: Why the worms will be singing my praises

About the author

Robert Drysdale

Arable Farmer Focus writer

Robert Drysdale is farm manager at Monymusk Estate, growing winter and spring barley, wheat and oilseed rape across 1600ha on 4 contract farming agreements to the south of Inverurie in Aberdeenshire. The farm also has 130 beef cows running on land that is less suitable for crop production with the majority of calves being finished on the farm.

Read more articles by Robert Drysdale

Winter barley is at awn emergence and wheat is a good colour, but the wet conditions mean that the canopy is not as thick as I would like.

The spring barley drilled a month ago is greening up nicely, with a very even emergence.

Combined with grain prices rising, this makes for a much better outlook for margins and has lifted everyone’s spirits.

Like last year, we are still drilling as we approach mid-May, with a week of better weather allowing us to catch up. We are likely to be finished a couple of days ahead of last year.

This week has been particularly busy, with yearling calves turned out to grass, 280ha drilled and most winter crops sprayed.

Even so, there is still much to do, with fertiliser to apply and the last bits of fencing to check so we can turn out cows and calves, now that the bulls have been with the cows for six weeks.

With the Basic Payment Scheme deadline approaching this week, time in the office to finalise the claim will be a priority.

This will be the last year of the current scheme, with new conditions to be introduced from next year, although I think the annual mid-May deadline will remain.

Hopefully, next year drilling will have been completed long before the deadline arrives.

With grain prices rising back to budget or better and most of the spring barley drilled, I have sold into the rising market.

With fertiliser looking cheaper for next season, selling forward for harvest 2025 might be a consideration.