Widespread showers have dragged harvest to a stop across parts of the country today (4 August) – but some people have managed to avoid the rain and continue combining.

Andrew Cragg was lucky to dodge the showers to start combining winter wheat at Brooker Farm, Romney Marsh, Kent, today.

So far the Cordiale was yielding well at around 11t/ha (4.5t/acre) as a second wheat – much on a par with last year.

Oilseed rape performed well for the second year running, with Cabernet topping the list at about 5t/ha (2t/acre).

Oilseed rape harvest in the South East was about 70-75% complete, and yields were slightly above average, according to Ian Pugh at United Oilseeds.

“As ever, oilseed rape is a complete mystery to most of us – the general consensus from farmers is surprised, and in many places, very pleased.”

Yields of 4-5t/ha (1.6-2t/acre) were not uncommon, and average yields were between 5% and 10% above last year, he reckoned.

Central stores were intaking all types of crops this week, with some farmers cutting wheat and spring barley before oilseed rape, said Simon Ward at Grainfarmers.

Early wheat samples were reasonable, although some were suffering from low bushelweights, he said. Milling wheat protein contents and Hagbergs were all fine.

Winter barley bushelweights, screenings and germination levels were good, and most malting barley was reaching the required nitrogen level.

Yields in the middle of the country were proving extremely variable, depending on soil type, according to agronomist Nick Brown.

Winter barley yields were generally down on last year, and ranged from 4.9-9.9t/ha (2-4t/acre). “I think anyone who got more than 7.4t/ha (3t/acre) will be pleased.

“More so than most years, it is going to be about soil type and moisture availability.”

There was plenty of moisture available at Sandy Walker’s Ercall Park Farm, Telford, Shropshire, today, bringing the combine to a standstill.

“We had 10mm of rain last night – it will do us all some good, but it’s a bit frustrating,” he said.

So far he had cut a couple of fields of oilseed rape, which was yielding above average at 4.5t/ha (1.8t/acre) over the combine. “We’re quite happy with that.”

Winter wheat was still nearly a week away from ripening, depending on the weather, he added.

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