SOME OF the wheat crop has been harvested within the last few days as fine weather across most of the UK has allowed many farmers to get underway with combining.

The barley harvest is finished in many areas while in others it‘s just beginning with good results in most cases.

But early reports of the oilseed rape harvest continue to be bleak.

Colin Rayner in Bucks told FARMERS WEEKLY Harvest Highlights his 12 ha (30 acres) of Soissons wheat was yielding 7-8 t/ha (2.83-3.24 t/acre) and coming in at just 13.9% moisture.

“We were shocked it was so dry,” he said on Tuesday (July 27).

“The yield was ok but we would have preferred it to be closer to 10 t/ha, but we don‘t expect miracles.”

David Hinchliffe has nearly finished harvesting the 40ha (100 acre) barley crop on Bank house farm in Thorne, Yorks.

He said “this year we‘re not breaking any record but I‘m not disappointed either.”

Derrick Almack has also finished harvesting his 40 ha (100 acres) of barley which lies on gravel in Ripon, Yorks.

“It‘s probably the best barley we‘ve ever had,” said Mr Almack

Dick Ford from Dalgety says that about a quarter of barley in East Anglia has been harvested.

“If this week remains fine then the barley will get wrapped up.”

On Peter Wombwell‘s farm in Essex, “the best of a bad bunch” of his oilseed rape is yielding just 3.34 t/ha (27cwt/acre).

“It‘s now lost all will to survive,” he said.

“Not so good,” is how Edwin Shiles, who farms with his son Peter near Chipping Sodbury in Wilts sums up the first 28ha (70 acres) of Winner oilseed rape.

But in Kent Nicholas Baxter‘s rape crop “all seems to be going ok – we‘re very happy with everything.”

According to FWi Weather Services it is predicted to be good weather over most of the UK with only some cloud in parts of Scotland and Northern Wales.