Gallant wheat has been extremely pleasing at P & J Awdry & Sons’ Ashton Farms, Trowbridge, Wiltshire, performing well even on lighter land. 

“The quality has been marvellous, and it’s a lovely bright sample,” said arable manager Martin Smart.

Harvest had been a stop-start affair due to showers, but Mr Smart hoped to back into wheat by lunchtime today (16 August).

“The forecast for the next few days isn’t very clever – and the wheat was at 23.5% moisture yesterday.”

So far the 8ha (20 acres) of Gallant had yielded 10t/ha (4t/acre) at 18.5% moisture on lighter land, and Mr Smart expected the whole 32ha (80 acres) to average 11t/ha (4.5t/acre).

Solstice had also yielded well, at 10.5t/ha (4.25t/acre) and 87-89kg/hl as a first wheat, and 8t/ha (3.25t/acre) as a second wheat on sandy land.

“The rows of straw were huge – I couldn’t drive the combine over them, there was so much.”

Mr Smart now had beans and 244ha (600 acres) of Hereward wheat ready to cut. “Everything is coming at once, and it just keeps raining.”

He had now finished the oilseed rape, even though Castille took five weeks to die off. “The canopy was dead but the stalks were bright green.”

It yielded a rather disappointing 4t/ha (1.6t/acre). Trial plots of W14 came in at 4.28t/ha (1.7t/acre), W21 at 4.36t/ha (1.8t/acre), DO3 at 3.77t/ha (1.5t/acre) and Cabernet at 3.53t/ha (1.4t/acre).

Excalibur averaged 3.96t/ha (1.6t/acre), with one block producing 40% oil and another 46.9%. DO5 yielded 4.3t/ha (1.7t/acre), with DO6 at 4t/ha (1.6t/acre).

Crop: Winter wheat
Variety: Gallant
Area: 8ha (20 acres)
Yield: 10t/ha (4t/acre)

Variety: Solstice
Yield: 8-10.5t/ha (3.25-4.25t/acre)

Crop: Oilseed rape
Variety: Castille
Area: 100ha (250 acres)
Yield: 4t/ha (1.6t/acre)

Variety: W14
Area: 40ha (100 acres)
Yield: 4.28t/ha (1.7t/acre)

Variety: Labrador
Area: 40ha (100 acres)
Yield: 4.6t/ha (1.85t/acre)

Variety: W22
Area: 43ha (106 acres)
Yield: 4.7t/ha (1.9t/acre)

Variety: Cabernet
Area: 20ha (50 acres)
Yield: 3.53t/ha (1.4t/acre)