Heavy showers were preventing Tim Morris from combining at Coneygar Farm, Cirencester, Glos, yesterday (13 August).

“Virtually everything is ripe now – when the sunshine arrives we won’t know which way to turn,” he said.

Mr Morris had cut 20ha (50 acres) of Cordiale winter wheat and 2ha (5 acres) of Westminster spring barley, and was pleased with the results so far.

“The yields are very good – the spring barley will be well above average, if not a record, and the wheat is also above average.”

He had also combined 61ha (150 acres) of Astrid oilseed rape, which was about average. “There is still a lot of rape to cut around here.”

He now had another 24ha (60 acres) of rape to cut, as well as all the rest of the wheat and barley.

“We’ve had to double dry a lot of wheat and some of the rape, which has been fearfully expensive,” he added.

Crop: Winter wheat
Variety: Cordiale
Area: 20ha (50 acres)
Yield: > average

Crop: Spring barley
Variety: Westminster
Area: 2ha (5 acres)
Yield: > average

Crop: Oilseed rape
Variety: Astrid
Area: 61ha (150 acres)
Yield: average