A dry weekend enabled Martin Howlett to get the combine out at Deer Park Farm, Callington, Cornwall, on Sunday (14 September).

But a two-hour breakdown further frustrated an already disastrous harvest. “We went until 6.30 last night and just had two small bits to finish in that field, but it’s raining again today,” he said.

Mr Howlett had 8ha (20 acres) of barley, oats and beans to finish off, and in small fields that would be three days work.

There was still oilseed rape to be cut in the area, he said. “I’ve never heard of that in the middle of September – it just shows how desperate people have got.”

Mr Howlett’s oats and beans looked good, but the Saffron winter barley was just 3” off the ground.

Ground conditions were awful, and even the maize was going to be poor, having sprouted one or two extra cobs per plant. “Quality is going to go out of the window.”

Crop: Winter barley
Variety: Sequel
Area: 1.6ha (4 acres)
Yield: 6.2t/ha (2.5t/acre)

Variety: Saffron
Area: 10ha (24 acres)

Crop: Spring beans
Variety: Fuego
Area: 2.4ha (6 acres)

Crop: Winter oats
Variety: Mascani
Area: 2.4ha (6 acres)