Wheat harvest is underway in Essex, where Guy Smith was cutting Alchemy with one eye on the stormy-looking sky near St Osyth.

“Wheats are yielding well – 10-20% above average,” he said. So far he had cut 25ha (62 acres) of Solstice and the same of Alchemy. “If the Solstice doesn’t touch 10t/ha (4t/acre) I’ll be disappointed.” The Alchemy was coming in just under that so far.

Mr Smith’s high erucic rape was very poor, yielding just 2.7t/ha (1.1t/acre).

But the 93ha (230 acres) of Pearl winter barley yielded over 8.5t/ha (3.4t/acre) and had all been moved at 1.6-1.7% nitrogen. “It’s the best barley I’ve ever grown – it was a phenomenal crop,” he said.

Crop: Winter wheat
Variety: Solstice
Area: 25ha (62 acres)
Yield 10t/ha (4t/acre)

Variety: Alchemy
Area: 25ha (62 acres)
Yield: 9.8t/ha (3.9t/acre)

Crop: Oilseed rape
Area: 80ha (200 acres)
Yield: 2.7t/ha (1.1t/acre)

Crop: Winter barley
Variety: Pearl
Area: 93ha (230 acres)
Yield: 8.5t/ha (3.4t/acre)