A new combine is helping Mike England to charge through harvest at Alby Farming, Manor Farm, Hanworth, Norfolk.

Having sold two combines and bought a single New Holland 1990, with a 35ft header, to share with TH & JH Neill at Thurgarton, he was unsure about how harvest would go.

“But we’re very pleased.” Between them, the two businesses farmed 901ha (2226 acres), and were about halfway through harvest.

Mr England had finished winter barley and oilseed rape, and was well into the spring barley now.

The 30ha (75 acres) of Tipple had yielded about 6.7t/ha (2.7t/acre), and there was a further 141ha (348 acres) to finish before the 303ha (748 acres) of wheat.

“The wheat isn’t quite there, although it looks encouraging. We want to clear the spring barley up first.”

Epure oilseed rape yielded 4.2t/ha (1.7t/acre), while the Flagon winter barley ranged from 6.7t.ha (2.7t/acre) on light land, to 8.6t/ha (3.5t/acre) on heavier soil.

Crop: Spring barley
Variety: Tipple
Area: 30ha (75 acres)
Yield: 6.7t/ha (2.7t/acre)

Crop: Oilseed rape
Variety: Epure
Area: 126ha (311 acres)
Yield: 4.2t/ha (1.7t/acre)

Crop: Winter barley
Variety: Flagon
Area: 301ha (743 acres)
Yield: 6.7-8.6t/ha (2.7-3.5t/acre)