Oilseed rape harvest is on schedule and is about half complete, according to Jim Beeden, farm manager for Flagleaf Farming’s Turley farms north of Lincoln.

He is reasonably happy with the 120ha (300 acres) of Winner and Castille that has been cut with the farm’s Claas Lexion 480 so far. Most crops have yielded around 3.5t/ha. “It’s alright, but we would have liked to be nearer 3.7-3.9t/ha.”

Despite the hot, dry weather, crops have been fairly slow to mature after being desiccated around 14 days ago, he noted. “We’ve got about 350acres to go and they’ve really only just come fit.”

Around 490ha (1200-1300 acres) of Nijinsky, Robigus and Hereward winter wheat is also grown and Mr Beeden is concerned about some crops, especially those on lighter land which have ripened quickly.

“The wheat should be ready on Monday [31 July], which is about a week ahead of normal.”

A small amount of spring barley and beans for human consumption are also grown and these crops look reasonably good at the moment, he noted.

• Crop: Winter oilseed rape
• Variety: Winner & some Castille
• Area: 120ha
• Yield: 3.5t/ha