The vining pea harvest has kicked off, with viners busy in Lincolnshire.  This week’s heatwave also means the barley harvest is only a few days away, with farmers across the UK reporting rapidly ripening crops, especially on lighter land.

Temperatures in the 30Cs this week are leading to cereal crops on lighter land withering away as combines are set to start rolling in 10 days time. Some forward oilseed rape crops will be desiccated in the coming days.

See also: 9 ways farmers can beat harvest stress

Peas are off

Viners are putting in the hours for Fen Peas in Lincolnshire to get the crop harvested and frozen within 150 minutes.

Burning the midnight oil to get those delicious peas harvested and frozen in under 150 minutes. #yespeas pic.twitter.com/1hUHV4cgAx

— Fen Peas Ltd (@FenPeasLtd) June 27, 2018

The pea harvest is also in full swing further east for the Holbeach Marsh Co-operative (HMC), which has about 30 members.

Getting full for the factory 2018 vining pea harvest #peas #ukfarming #YesPeas pic.twitter.com/78xmM9Qbjb

— HMC Peas (@HMCPeas) June 25, 2018

Barley to follow soon

Cereal crops are not far behind peas, with winter barley ripening rapidly in some fields.

Been a big change in the last week – barley changing by the day in Bedfordshire, and coming home from Shropshire both barley and OSR well into transition! ?#Harvest18 pic.twitter.com/1ryJL7RZHj

— Dan Hawes (@DanHawesAg) June 27, 2018

This winter barley crop is about 10 days away.

Harvest 10 days away ?☀️ #winterbarley #bazooka #harvest18 pic.twitter.com/fiM9f8XFPv

— Samuel Clarke (@farmersamclarke) June 25, 2018

Winter barley in Suffolk is also rapidly turning.

Fab evening on the Suffolk Riviera.. soon be here #harvest18 pic.twitter.com/0enUAhXAt9

— Ant Whitaker (@DebenViking) June 26, 2018

Wilting wheat

Wheat crops on shallow soils are also suffering from the dry conditions, with this crop of Siskin struggling.

Siskin winter wheat starting to burn up now in the more stony areas on shallow limestone soils in Lincs. A nice steady drink would do it the power of good – gently does it please when the rains do come though . . . . . pic.twitter.com/IFPHeqrsAT

— Sean Sparling ARAgS (@sasagronomy) June 26, 2018

Finally, the effects of the dry spell are evident in this wheat field in Lincolnshire, with cracks large enough to lose a dog!

Some scary cracks out there, big enough to lose a Jack Russell in ? #Harvest18 #YourHarvest ☀️?️? pic.twitter.com/aZVdYTlqsE

— Joe Stanley ?? (@JoeWStanley) June 25, 2018