A DRY weekend has allowed many farmers to make much needed harvest progress.

Yields seem to be average or better than average in most cases, but unfortunately quality has been much lower than harvests in recent years.

As a result of this, much of the milling wheat has not made specifications and is being sold as feed.

Mike Clay from Hampshire grain told FWi Harvest Highlights that all the wheat he will now receive will have to be sold as feed.

“Since last Friday Hagbergs have dropped significantly meaning it doesn‘t make the quality requirements set by the millers.”

50-60% of the wheat has been cut in his area and he predicts most farmers will have finished harvesting their wheat by the end of the week (w/e Sept 3).

Bedfordshire farmer Brian Shaw said his wheat “still looks alright” but expects hagberg levels in his remaining milling wheat to be poor.

John Kilby hopes to finish harvesting his Optic spring barley today (Aug 31) in Yorkshire. Nitrogen contents ranged from 1.7 to 1.95%. “It was quite disappointing.”

Between the showers John Wilcox has managed to harvest 50ha (130 acres) of wheat on his farm in Staffordshire.

Nijinsky was coming off at 7.41 t/ha (3 t/acre) and produced a good crop of straw. “We‘re very pleased with it.”

Bill Harbour has been “getting on quite nicely” on his farm near Faversham, Kent.
He was particularly impressed with his Solstice which is all standing and yielding 10 t/ha (4.05 t/acre). “It looks nice.”

Recent dry weather has allowed Peter Bawn to catch up on harvesting near Byford, Herefordshire. “Today was the first day we‘ve harvested and not had to dry the corn.”

According to FWi weather services England and Wales should have fine weather for all of Wednesday (Sept 1) while Scotland will be cloudy with patchy rain and drizzle.