First ever oat crop for Herefordshire farmer

“They’re looking good,” he said.

So far Mr Green has won two competitions based on the quality of his Hendon oats.

He’s harvested 8.09 ha (20 acres) but recent showers and heavy dews are delaying the harvest as the moisture content became too high.

So far moisture contents have been ranging from 14 to 15%.

He still has another 18.21 ha (45 acres) to harvest, which he hopes to finish quickly if it stays dry.

Mr Green decided to grow Hendon naked oats because, as with other farmers in the area, he was offered a contract from Banks Cargill to supply high nutrition feed for chickens.

The main problem for Mr Green is that he doesn’t know exactly what to expect.

“As we’ve not grown the crop before we’ve got no yardstick to go by – we’re a bit in the dark, but we’re learning.”

Mr Green said the crop is looking good despite some problems with establishment due to the dry autumn last year.

He said that the crop clashes with the oilseed rape harvest which can pose a problem for some growers.

But Mr Green doesn’t grow oilseed rape and thinks that the oats act as a good break crop.