Paul Philips from Mid Wales hopes to finish combining the last of his winter wheat by tonight (Sept 2).

Wheat has been the most pleasing crop with satisfactory yields of 5t/ha. He was not able to start planting until November due to wet conditions, and the cold March and April meant the crops never established well. Nitrogen fertiliser “bucked it up”, but it also suffered from slight slug damage, he said.

The crop is coming in at 16% moisture, but would like it to be nearer 14%.

Having finished oats on Monday (Aug 29) he was a little disappointed with yields of 3.75t/ha. But he said it is not quite such a disaster as they were grown on grade 3 soil. “We’ve got grain in the barn, that’s the main thing.”

Straw yields were slightly disappointing, although it was very clean, he added. He said it is a shame there is not as much as normal but enough to fill his own barns.

With 28ha of arable crops, he is pleased to cut 4ha a day with only a 10ft header on his combine. But he said despite harvest having been a little disappointing this year, he his happy to have enough for use on the farm.

Next season he plans to grow a small amount of triticale and he believes it will do better on his poor soil and costs will be lower than for wheat.

• Crop/Variety: Winter wheat
  
• Area: 7.6ha
  
• Yield: 5t/ha
  
• Quality: N/A

• Crop/Variety: Winter oats
  
• Area: N/A
  
• Yield: 3.75t/ha
  
• Quality: N/A