MANY FARMERS across the country have managed to squeeze the odd spells of combining in between showers.

Amid continuing unsettled weather, growers are looking to seize any possible opportunity to get crops off the field and into the shed.

Most farmers are now making some progress on their wheat, with a few lucky growers have even finished entirely.

But the sustained wet weather is forcing some anxious farmers to harvest at ever higher moisture contents.

On Aug 17 Paul Buckenham completely finished the harvest on his farm in Essex with pleasing results. 

“The only hiccup we had all harvest was the air conditioning playing up in the combine,” he said.

“We had a spell of 10 days with good weather so we just kept going until we finished.”

By contrast Bucks farmer Colin Rayner told FARMERS WEEKLY Harvest Highlights he has harvested 400 ha (1,000 acres) of his wheat with none of it being cut below 20% moisture. He is now worried about the 160 ha (400 acres) still to do.

Derrick Almack in West Riding, Yorks has cut 70% of his wheat with only another 50ha (130 acres) left to do.

“I‘ve had nothing tested yet, but I’m not too enthusiastic,” said Mr Almack.

On David Baker Farms on the Norfolk/Suffolk border Matthew Baker Baker managed to do 4 to 5 hours of wheat on Saturday afternoon (Aug 21), with moisture contents coming in at 21%.

“Driers have been running flat out,” he notes, in an effort to preserve quality.

Norfolk farmer Ed Lankfer has finished his oats, barley and oilseed rape, but like others is struggling with the wet weather and has only combined a quarter of his wheat crop so far.

But despite the weather, he is “reasonably pleased” with the wheat harvested so far.

In Scotland, harvest has become a nightmare for many but James Grant-Suttie made a start on the wheat harvest by cutting 20ha (50 acres) of 2nd wheat Riband last night.

He doesn‘t know the yield, but expects it to be around 9.88 t/ha (4 t/acre).

So far the harvest has been relatively positive for Duncan Whiteman near Telford, Shrops.

He made a start on his wheat yesterday by cutting 5.6 ha (14 acres) of Tanker at 21% moisture, yielding 9.88 t/ha (4 t/acre).

According to FWi weather services, tomorrow (Aug 24) looks set to bring more heavy showers throughout the morning and early afternoon, with the rain starting to ease from the west for most of the UK.