Harvest 2017: Early winter barley cut as OSR is desiccated
Harvest 2017 has begun weeks ahead of normal for some growers on light land as last week’s heatwave pushed drought-stressed winter barley crops to their end.
Berkshire grower Colin Rayner said he was cutting winter barley on gravelly land a whole 18 days earlier than during the 2016 harvest. He added the last time he started combining barley in June was in 2009.
Some winter barley is now also being cut in Suffolk and crimped in Wales for livestock feed.
Meanwhile, oilseed rape crops are being desiccated in Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire, which means harvest is set to kick off about mid-July.
See also: More harvest 2017 coverage
The vining pea is well under way, with Lincolnshire-based Fen Peas saying they are now 30% through their 2017 crop. Early potatoes are also being lifted in Suffolk, while rye is being cut over the border into Norfolk.
We’ve harvested 14 tweets to give you a flavour of what’s happening out in the fields as the most exciting part of arable farming gets cracking.
You can stay up to date with all the latest harvest 2017 developments by following Farmers Weekly’s Harvest Live Twitter account, liking the Harvest Live Facebook page and you can get all the news and analysis on the harvest page of the Farmers Weekly website.
Be sure to send us your photos via social media, by emailing the arable team at fwarable@rbi.co.uk or by uploading your photos to our dedicated Harvest 2017 gallery.
As always, we will try our best to feature as many of your photos and videos as possible online and in the magazine.
Very early winter barley
Harvest 2017 has started. 18 days earlier than last year! pic.twitter.com/ER3jEMYTGH
— Colin Rayner (@farmerrayner) June 26, 2017
Winter Barley Harvest started in Suffolk in June pic.twitter.com/V6lSy1rO9s
— Ed Walsh (@Farmerwalsh) June 26, 2017
And we're off! Crimped barley basking in the sun today @PenllynFarm @daiboot @AgriiWest @Merry_Meredith pic.twitter.com/WYVJX8Ldbc
— Penllyn Estate Farm (@PenllynFarm) June 21, 2017
Wheat yield potential
South Staffordshire grower Andy Roberts says wheat yield potential on light land is diminishing fast due to recent hot, dry weather.
Yield potential falling rapidly on light land. #harvest17 pic.twitter.com/0ExVSJd1ko
— Andy Roberts (@handles4forks) June 26, 2017
However, in the West, agronomist Richard Alcock says this crop of Crusoe looks promising with plenty of fat grains waiting to turn a golden brown colour.
@LGSeedsUK Crusoe 2nd Wheat producing good grain fill and numbers/ear…62 in this one. #harvest17 pic.twitter.com/F03xkyCQfB
— Richard Alcock (@RichardAlcock68) June 27, 2017
Oilseed rape desiccation
Rapeseed getting it this morning. #harvest17 pic.twitter.com/EVZBosiyp1
— Mike Fray (@NeddyFlanders11) June 26, 2017
Freshly dessicated. The countdown the #harvest17 is on…#OSR #arable #oilseedrape #farm365 pic.twitter.com/YMW3q6USSE
— Farmer Tom (@Farmer_Tom_UK) June 26, 2017
@MonsantoEurope @olihillFW started dedicating osr today pic.twitter.com/YFoW2wLhsF
— Alastair Baseley (@AlastairBaseley) June 26, 2017
@olirubes #OSR v.close to harvest in East. Desiccation spraying this week . #farming #harvest17 pic.twitter.com/1ESeuztvdA
— ADAS Arable Reporter (@ADASArable) June 26, 2017
Pea progress
On this day last year we were 5% through our crop. This year 30%! Shows how warm it's been #PeaHarvest2017 pic.twitter.com/5pSZhr393Z
— Fen Peas Ltd (@FenPeasLtd) June 27, 2017
#harvest17 is underway with the first vining peas coming off, keep up @peamanruss! pic.twitter.com/IZ4yiqLd7b
— Adam Horsfield (@adam_farming) June 26, 2017
Pea harvest in Wetwang @peter_levy @looknorthBBC pic.twitter.com/5HhMAM7j01
— Helen Ward (@tamwolds) June 26, 2017
Preparation underway
https://twitter.com/sunkfarmer/status/879644437818859520
Today's job. Last wheat sprayed before #harvest17. T3 spray on Belepi spring wheat. Just done in time, now can we have some rain please pic.twitter.com/bEhzTyk3iu
— Peter Allen (@pallenservices) June 27, 2017
Winter Barley really moved on in the week I've been away! Best get 2nd cut in so we can take the trailers apart!#harvest17 pic.twitter.com/4JZEGDrOID
— Tom Gribble (@farmergribz) June 26, 2017