Chris Hewis hasn’t started combining wheat at The Grange, Habrough, Lincolnshire, but quality still looks fine.

“It’s been a very frustrating harvest – it feels like ages ago that we started. We have been really hampered by the rain and waiting for crops to ripen.”

So far he was about 65% through harvest, with most people in the area about 75% through.

Mr Hewis was combining Ability spring oilseed rape today (3 September), and was pleased with yields of over 3.1t/ha (1.25t/acre). “That’s pretty good for spring rape.”

He was also finishing off Tipple spring barley, which was yielding about 6.2t/ha (2.5t/acre).

“It hasn’t been sampled yet but it looks a good bold grain. It just didn’t ripen very quickly.”

Excalibur oilseed rape was pleasing, at 4.8t/ha (1.95t/acre). “That was all harvested dry and has all been moved.”

But Flagon winter barley was very disappointing, at just 5.9t/ha (2.4t/acre). “It was good malting quality at least.”

Mr Hewis expected to start combining wheat this weekend. “It looks well – we have 40ha (100 acres) of Oakley and the same of Viscount, and nothing is sprouting or discoloured.

“I hear the weather may break on Tuesday (7 September) so we’ll be pushing on over the weekend, hopefully with the help of a demonstration combine.”

Crop: Spring barley
Variety: Tipple
Yield: 6.2t/ha (2.5t/acre)

Crop: Spring oilseed rape
Variety: Ability
Yield: 3.1t/ha (1.25t/acre)

Crop: Winter barley
Variety: Flagon
Yield: 5.9t/ha (2.4t/acre)

Crop: Winter oilseed rape
Variety: Excalibur
Yield: 4.8t/ha (1.95t/acre)