Harvest has been a mixed bag at Roger Middleditch’s Prior Farm, Wrentham, Norfolk, with spring crops suffering badly in the drought.

“We managed to finish combining on Monday (6 September), but we drafted in some help – we had four combines going in the end.

“The spring crops on the light lands have been very disappointing, but winter barley was good and wheat on the better land was okay – it was all down to soil type.”

Viscount, Robigus and Solstice wheat averaged 8-8.6t/ha (3.25-3.5t/acre). “We had some sprouting on one bit of light land, where it had died off before heavy rain, but we got all the Solstice in with good protein and Hagberg.”

Tipple and Concerto spring barley was very disappointing, at 3.7-4.3t/ha (1.5-1.75t/acre).

And Fuego beans and Prophet peas were similarly poor, at 3.7t/ha (1.5t/acre). “The weather pattern has gone against us all the way through.”

But Flagon and Pearl winter barley averaged 6.2t/ha (2.5t/acre), and all went for malting, said Mr Middleditch.

“Most people have finished around here – we now need to get on with 120ha (300 acres) of oilseed rape drilling.”

Crop: Winter wheat
Varieties: Solstice, Robigus and Viscount
Yield: 8-8.6t/ha (3.25-3.5t/acre)

Crop: Spring barley
Varieties: Tipple and Concerto
Yield: 3.7-4.3t/ha (1.5-1.75t/acre)

Crop: Peas
Variety: Prophet
Yield: 3.7t/ha (1.5t/acre)

Crop: Beans
Variety: Fuego
Yield: 3.7t/ha (1.5t/acre)

Crop: Winter barley
Varieties: Flagon and Pearl
Yield: 6.2t/ha (2.5t/acre)