Getting on with the wheat in Essex. 

Tim Cooper of Wix near Manningtree, Essex planned to continue combining Malacca this afternoon.

Mr Cooper still had 81 of 162ha (200 of 400 acres) of the Malacca to cut. In total he had 304ha (750 acres) of winter wheat with a further 142ha (350 acres) of Solstice left to cut. He said his Malacca looked alright and that solstice looked good.
He was cutting between 15-18% moisture with the weather.

Mr Cooper completed 65ha (160 acres) of NK Grace and Expert oilseed rape three weeks ago, yielding 3.2-3.3 t/ha (26-27 cwt/acre). It was affected by the changeable weather and was cut between 8-20% moisture. “It was good to get it out the way, but it wasn’t so rewarding,” he said.

He said his fine-sandy-loam ground had drained well and maintained good ground conditions for combining.

Mr Cooper was also harvesting potatoes, which were sold on contract and going OK. He had 64ha (160 acres) in total and said he had finished around 12%.

He had 20ha (50 acres) of Pearl winter barley, 15ha (37.5 acres) of Sugar beet and 20ha (50 acres) of vining peas yet to begin. He said the peas had been flattened by the rain, which could be a problem, “it would have been better if the rain, had been earlier.”

On overall progress Mr Cooper said: “It’s going well so far.”

• Crop: Oilseed rape
o Area: 65ha
o Variety: NK Grace and Expert
o Yield: 3.2-3.3 t/ha
o Moisture: 8-20%

• Crop: Winter wheat
• Area: 304ha
o Variety: Malacca
o Area: 81 cut of 162ha
o Moisture: cut 15-18%

o Variety: Solstice
o Area: 142ha

*Harvest Highlights 2007 is sponsored by RAGT