Wheat yields have been about 10% below average at Geddington Farms, Kettering, Northamptonshire, but are much better than David Reynolds initially expected.

“It hasn’t been a bad harvest at all. Wheat averaged over 9t/ha (3.6t/acre) so we’re not complaining.”

He had Cordiale, which made the milling grade, as well as Robigus, Alchemy and Oakley. “There was very little between them in terms of yield.

“Oilseed rape came in a fraction under 4t/ha (1.6t/acre), which we’re very pleased with.”

But Fuego spring beans, sown after a failed oilseed rape crop, touched the opposite end of the scale.

“Thank goodness we didn’t have many – they scarcely reached 1.2t/ha (0.5t/acre).”

Driving down from Skipton, Yorkshire, last weekend, Mr Reynolds was surprised at how much wheat was left to cut, even as far south as Birmingham.

“There were huge areas of wheat still in the field – it looked as though two-thirds was still to be done.”

He had finished drilling oilseed rape and was now preparing to drill winter wheat.

“As long as it knows when to stop raining we’ll be fine – the ground conditions are just about right.”

Crop: Winter wheat
Varieties: Cordiale, Robigus, Alchemy and Oakley
Yield: >9t/ha (3.6t/acre)

Crop: Oilseed rape
Varieties: Excalibur, Extrovert and Rhina
Yield: <4t/ha (1.6t/acre)

Crop: Spring beans
Variety: Fuego
Yield: <1.2t/ha (0.5t/acre)

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