Phillip Huxtable, is around half way through harvest near Driffield, East Yorkshire.

After starting wheat in earnest last Saturday (Aug 27), he said things are so far looking “encouraging”, although has about another 700ha still to cut.

Yields so far are averaging around 10t/ha, which is slightly above the five year average of 9.75t/ha, he said. “This is pretty much what we’d expect and is encouraging considering the lack of sunshine this summer!”

Most wheat goes for feed or seed multiplication and he describes quality as “favourable”.

Mr Huxtable said that sunshine and a good drying wind mean moisture contents are falling all the while, with early crops coming in at 17%.

Spring barley still remains to be cut, and despite some reports from growers in northern England and Scotland of poor yields, he is cautiously optimistic. “We were patient when it came to drilling the crop and on the whole it’s looked well all season.”

Field beans will be the last to be cut, but they are still some way off, he believes.

• Crop/Variety: Winter wheat


• Area: 700ha


• Yield: 10t/ha


• Quality: Moisture 17%, “bold” seed