Harvest is yet to get underway at Stracathro and Careston Estates, Laurencekirk, Angus, but farm manager Gordon Cairns hopes to start combining this week.

“The winter barley is all KWS Cassia and if the weather is right we should make a start this week,” he said.

“But we had quite a considerable storm with a lot of rain on Saturday, and yesterday (20 July) it didn’t really dry out.”

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However, the crops looked really promising, he added. “I’m quite confident about them, although we’ll have to wait and see.”

Mr Cairns’ oilseed rape was still a week to 10 days away from ripening, and also looked well.

“All the crops are looking well around here, although there is some spring barley that has got very tall, where people couldn’t get on with the plant growth regulator, so it’s looking a bit delicate,” he said.

“Ours is looking alright at the moment, but you do worry when you get these heavy thundery showers.”