Robert Law has made good headway at Thrift Farm, Royston, Hertfordshire, but is hoping that higher prices will compensate for variable quality in his crops.

As rain fell in neighbouring Nottinghamshire, where Mr Law also farms, sun kept the combine going in Hertfordshire yesterday (16 August), with the rye harvest now well underway.

“We’ve cut all 120ha of our winter barley with an average bushel weight of 64kg/hl,” he said.

“We’ve also started our wheat, having cut 48ha of Consort and Target, with a bushel weight of around 74kg/hl at 15% moisture.”

Mr Law was now cutting a crop of Agronom winter rye, which was down to 16.5% moisture last night, as the remaining 302ha of wheat wasn’t quite fit.

“Luckily we’re on light land so wet ground hasn’t been an issue, but crop quality has been particularly variable,” he said.

“I’ve heard some horror stories; a field of wheat only two miles away was particularly light, with a bushel weight of 57kg/hl, and there’s been a lot in the 60’s.”

Because of such variability, Mr Law was convinced that growers should be splitting all their wheat up and marketing it on individual crop quality.

“Prices are good this year so hopefully this should make up for the loss in both yield and quality.”