Philip Chamberlain started combining Tipple spring barley at Crowmarsh Battle Farm, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, yesterday (27 July).

“All I’ve seen is a sample of the headland, but it’s not as bad as we had feared it would be. It’s not going to be a special yield, but we weren’t at all optimistic.”

Mr Chamberlain had 120ha (300 acres) of spring barley to cut – about half of which was ripe, and 200ha (500 acres) of oilseed rape, which he expected to start on tomorrow.

“It rained when we wanted to get on desiccating it, so only some is ready. What we’ve rubbed out in the Dimension looks bolder than we had expected.”

Wheat was being cut on gravelly land in the area, but was not quite fit on the farm, he added.

“We’re not going to have a break between any of the crops, but nothing is spoiling yet.”