Goings good for some
Goings good for some
Sighs of relief are sounding in the south where combines are
gathering reasonably good crops of wheat. But growers
further north are making slow progress in sodden fields.
farmers weeklys arable team reports
EAST
PLENTY of wheat has been cut in early areas with indications suggesting a better crop than many feared.
Grain moistures down to 11-12% mean some combines have been running late into the night.
At Peldon in Essex, Robert Davidson was about a quarter of the way through his 440ha (1100-acre) crop at the start of the week. "This is an early area and our wheat is about average so far."
The first 12ha (30 acres) of Caxton grown as a first wheat did well, yielding 9.9t/ha (4t/acre), over 1t/ha ahead of budget. "It looked nice with a specific weight of 80kg/hl at under 12% moisture." Charger grown as a continuous wheat yielded as budgeted, but with a lower specific weight of 75-76kg/hl.
On the Essex coast 160ha (400 acres) of wheat at Langenhoe Hall, Abberton, near Colchester, is almost finished. "It is a non-stop harvest and we are making excellent progress," says Stephen Wormell.
"The yield of Brigadier and Rialto is about 2.5t/acre, which is about what we expect from semi-continuous wheat on this heavy clay. The samples look lovely, with specific weights in the high 70s, and moisture averaging 13%."
In east Suffolk, Mike Porter started wheat at Walpole, near Halesworth, last Saturday. He is disappointed with the first cut but thinks it was his worst field. "Our first 50 acres of Charger did about 3.5t/acre; we had hoped for a little more. But the specific weight of the grain is OK at 78kg/hl."
In the north of the county barometer grower David Pettit started Soissons at West Hall Farm, Rickinghall, on Saturday, and soon moved into Hussar. By the start of the week he had cut a quarter of his wheat.
"Soissons yielded 3t/acre, which is about normal for this farm. It looks a good sample and the specific weight should match last years 80kg/hl. But I am less pleased with second wheat Hussar, which was badly hit by take-all. Last year it did over 3.5t/acre, this year we are down at 2.6-3.0t/acre." But quality is good.
In Norfolk Paul Childerhouse started partly lodged, desiccated wheat last weekend. "I am pleased with Charger on lightish old meadowland yielding about 3t/acre, compared with 33cwt/acre last year. Grains are huge, as big as Sugar Puffs."
Further north Brian Reynolds, who manages 1278ha (3157 acres) for Albanwise at Barton Bendish near Swaffham made a start with his 537ha (1326 acres) of wheat on Sunday.
"We have just taken about 60t from an early drilled crop of Riband on some of our lightest land," he says. "Although it is too early to give an accurate idea of what is likley to happen, both the yield and sample look better than we expected. It seems the lightland wheat has met expectations but the heavyland crop which was hit by take-all and was waterlogged in the spring may be a different story."
By Monday, Elmswell-based merchant OC Jewers & Sons had only seen Soissons, but was expecting Riband and Consort. "The combines in this area are going crazy in wheat, with the big boys working almost 24 hours a day," says the firms Grant Elliston.
SOUTH
SOISSONS has continued to take harvesting priority among wheats being almost cleared by Wednesday.
Yields from later fields are as good as those from fields cut in the third week of July but proteins are more variable.
Results from the first of other varieties range from disappointing to very pleasing. Soissons overall performance has been similar to last years, ranging from 6.2t/ha (2.5t/acre) to 9t/ha (3.6t/acre). The latter came from Chichester Plain grower Richard Strange with a specific weight of 80kg/hl, protein 9.8-11.3% and Hagberg of 280-330.
"Last year it yielded 9.8t/ha and the protein was a bit better. But I am very pleased and rather surprised it has done so well," says Mr Strange.
"So far so good, but the worst is to come," says Ray Ellis, who has 380ha (939 acres) of wheat near Eastbourne, East Sussex. The good began with standing Reaper cut last week his best for several years at 8.6t/ha (3.5t/acre). The worst will be the lodged 15-20%, mainly Charger, which will trim overall yield to below average, he predicts. On the Isle of Grain, Ian Betts Brigadier at 8.6t/ha (3.5t/acre) is his best for several years on the medium loam soil with large gravel patches.
"Last year we averaged just over 3t/acre," he says. "We have done better this season because there has been enough moisture to keep the crop going, although the 72 specific weight for the early stuff was not brilliant."
Barometer grower Patrick Godwin was despondent after his first day into wheat, Reaper, at Billingshurst, West Sussex, on Friday. It did 8.2t/ha (3.3t/acre) compared with the 8.6t/ha (3.5t/acre) budgeted for. But Brigadier has been more rewarding, producing a better sample than last years, and averaging 9.6t/ha (3.9t/acre).
SCATS grain trader Michael Williams reports a discouraging start to wheats. Charger and Rialto have had poor specific weights and lowish proteins.
Lillico-Attlees Charles Harrison, based at Maidstone, Kent, says much the same. After a middling to good start to wheats with Soissons, the first of the later varieties are proving mediocre.
MIDLANDS
PROGRESS in wheat is patchy, with only 10-15% cut in Lincs early in the week and much less done elsewhere; yields of take-all hit second wheats are not as bad as expected, and growers are quietly hopeful for first crops.
After fearing a repeat of 1997, Simon Harrison is encouraged by his 8.6t/ha (3.5t/acre) from second and third crop Riband at 74.5kg/hl off skirt land at Fen Farm, Pinch Bank West, Spalding, Lincs. "I think first wheats should improve." In 1996 he averaged 10.2t/ha but got 2.4t/ha less last year.
After disappointing output from barley, winter rape and, especially, spring peas (20% down on last year), John Ibbett is pleased with the 7.5-8.5t/ha (3-3.4t/acre) from second crop Rialto at Bedfordia Farms, Milton Ernest, Beds. "I am happier than I thought I would be. We budgeted for 7.5t/ha." But he cannot explain Hagberg and protein ranges of 200-250 and 10-12.5% from similar fields given identical husbandry. Immature grains may be to blame, he suspects.
Robert Kerr of Glencore Grain thinks strobilurin fungicides and green tramlines may account for some hesitant starts. But specific weight in flat wheat is surprisingly good, he notes.
Dalgetys Gary Hutchings echoes that view. "There is a great deal of variation. But I have heard of lodged Rialto still at 80kg/hl and 220 Hagberg giving nearly 4t/acre."
But three days into 76kg/hl Rialto Sentrys Martin Cusden is disappointed with his 7.4t/ha (3t/acre) at Bury Farm, Sharpenhoe, Beds. He blames take-all.
Barometer grower Steven McKendrick expected to start wheat on Monday. Gross margin of winter barley on light land outstripped that on heavy soils by £59/ha (£24/acre), he notes. "It is just not a heavy land year."
At Clattercote Farm, Claydon, Banbury, Oxon strong sunshine helped Adrian Taylor salvage 4.9t/ha (2t/acre) from very flat Eiffel and Elan peas which he feared lost.
PROGRESS in wheat is patchy, with only 10-15% cut in Lincs early in the week and much less done elsewhere; yields of take-all hit second wheats are not as bad as expected, and growers are quietly hopeful for first crops.
After fearing a repeat of 1997, Simon Harrison is encouraged by his 8.6t/ha (3.5t/acre) from second and third crop Riband at 74.5kg/hl off skirt land at Fen Farm, Pinch Bank West, Spalding, Lincs. "I think first wheats should improve." In 1996 he averaged 10.2t/ha but got 2.4t/ha less last year.
After disappointing output from barley, winter rape and, especially, spring peas (20% down on last year), John Ibbett is pleased with the 7.5-8.5t/ha (3-3.4t/acre) from second crop Rialto at Bedfordia Farms, Milton Ernest, Beds. "I am happier than I thought I would be. We budgeted for 7.5t/ha." But he cannot explain Hagberg and protein ranges of 200-250 and 10-12.5% from similar fields given identical husbandry. Immature grains may be to blame, he suspects.
Robert Kerr of Glencore Grain thinks strobilurin fungicides and green tramlines may account for some hesitant starts. But specific weight in flat wheat is surprisingly good, he notes.
Dalgetys Gary Hutchings echoes that view. "There is a great deal of variation. But I have heard of lodged Rialto still at 80kg/hl and 220 Hagberg giving nearly 4t/acre."
But three days into 76kg/hl Rialto Sentrys Martin Cusden is disappointed with his 7.4t/ha (3t/acre) at Bury Farm, Sharpenhoe, Beds. He blames take-all.
Barometer grower Steven McKendrick expected to start wheat on Monday. Gross margin of winter barley on light land outstripped that on heavy soils by £59/ha (£24/acre), he notes. "It is just not a heavy land year."
At Clattercote Farm, Claydon, Banbury, Oxon strong sunshine helped Adrian Taylor salvage 4.9t/ha (2t/acre) from very flat Eiffel and Elan peas which he feared lost.
SOUTH-WEST
WHEAT harvest was under way by Monday but many crops were not quite fit; quality and yields are very variable.
Wessex Grain manager, Malcolm Shepherd, reports a mixed bag, with specific weights 65-80kg/hl, but some crops meeting milling standards. "Abbot is fairly good, Hereward OK, Soissons is spectacularly good, and Spark not too bad. Hagbergs and proteins are a lot better than we thought."
In east Dorset the Hosford family is disappointed with second crop Brigadier and Reaper slightly over 6.3t/ha (2.5t/acre) and 73kg/hl. Lodged first wheat Charger did 8.1t/ha (3.25t/acre).
In Somerset, Archie Montgomery blames septoria and lodging in Equinox for the worst sample he has ever grown. It gave 5-7.5t/ha (2-3t/acre). Hereward averaged barely 7.5t/ha (3t/acre) as a first crop where 10t/ha (4t/acre) is normal.
Ted Bird, Cannington Grain, Somerset, says wheat yields are struggling to reach 7.5t/ha (3t/acre). Feed specific weights range from 66 to 76kg/hl, with milling types 74-78. Hagbergs are 240-290. Proteins are regularly 12%, usually linked to pinched grain.
But wheat yields for barometer grower Stewart Hayllor, in south Devon, are above average, with Soissons at 8.1t/ha (3.3t/acre), and first crop Brigadier up to 9.9t/ha. (4t/acre), both at 15% moisture.
1997 barometer Richard Payne is well on with wheats, most of which are flat. Abbot averaged just under 7.5t/ha (3t/acre), 12.5% protein, 300 Hagberg, with specific weight 70-74kg/hl. But one field hit 8.7t/ha (3.5t/acre). Some Reaper gave over 10t/ha (4t/acre).
Devon-based ADAS consultant Bill Butler says many wheats were not quite ready on Monday, and yields so far are below average. Devon Grain manager, Duncan Lyons, echoes that. Specific weights are clear-cut, either 76kg/hl or well below. About half his samples meet protein standards.
In SE Cornwall John Moss believes strobilurin fungicides have helped, two adjacent fields, both first crop Brigadier, giving a comparison. One, strob-protected, gave 8t/ha (3.2t/acre) at 75-76kg/hl. The other, given a conventional programme, did 6.7t/ha (2.7t/acre) at 73kg/hl.
The few wheats seen by Mike Hambly of Cornwall Farmers co-op have poor specific weights, one only 58kg/hl.
WEST
WINTER barley is described as disastrous and diabolical, but is nearly all done.
Winter rape is disappointing and two-thirds finished. The earliest wheats and spring barleys suggest slightly better things to come.
"A lot of winter barley yields are well below 2t/acre, with bushel weights down to 55kg/hl. Growers who grew for malting have been hit hardest because they have not got the yield or the quality, and the samples are beyond cleaning up. Even the straw is not much good," says farmer and merchant Steve Deakins, on the Shropshire/ Herefordshire border.
On the Cheshire/Shropshire border contractor Nigel Vickers echoes that. "We have cut 550acres of winter barley, and have not seen a good crop yet."
David Roberts of central Salop merchants G O Davies is similarly unimpressed. "Bushel weights are disastrous, ranging from 57-64kg/hl." Malting quality is extremely variable, too, with screenings the main problem, he says. But early wheats provide some hope. "What we have seen is OK, at about 75kg/hl, with average yields. After last years 68-69kg/hl, anything is an improvement."
Barometer grower Steven Mackintoshs first impression of wheat is pretty good too, with Reaper doing 9.5t/ha (3.8t/acre) off his lightest ground at Ross-on-Wye, close to the farm average.
Further east, Michael Simpson of Guarlford, Worcs, had cut Abbot wheat and was into Rialto earlier this week. Abbot did 9.3t/ha (3.75t/acre) off 16ha, slightly up on the farm average, with excellent quality at 11.6% protein and 82kg/hl specific weight. Rialto is on par at about 9.0t/ha (3.6t/acre), he says.
Spring barley appears to be an improvement on winter, though it is early days. At about 6.2t/ha (2.5t/acre), John Preeces Optic from Cressage, near Shrewsbury is typical, with a nice sample at 70kg/hl, and an average yield for the farm. But Halcyon came in at 20% screenings. "The question is, is it worth cleaning?" he says.
NORTH
WINTER barley and oilseed rape harvest is nearing completion in North Humberside but there is still much to be done around Berwick. Winter wheats are at least a week away.
"Rain all day last Friday led to gloom and doom all around," says Mike Butcher of ADAS Alnwick. Only 60-70% of the barley is in, with yields about 4.9t/ha (2t/acre) and oilseed rape at 2.5t/ha (1t/acre) with low oils.
Rain has hampered travel around Berwick, notes Neil Armstrong of J Armstrong and Sons. "We are running with bow waves down the tramlines. Bad ruts and wet patches have led some farmers to fit dual wheels and Terratyres."
N Yorks-based independent consultant Andrew Fisher says barley is averaging about 6.2t/ha (2.5t/acre), but both heavy and light soils have suffered around Harrogate. Early-Oct sown Gaelic did well but Regina and Hannah have disappointed. Winter rape has given 3.1-4.1t/ha (1.3-1.6t/acre) despite wind and pigeon damage to swaths. "Hybrids are about 2 cwt/acre up, but they are often matched by Commanche, which suits this area well."
In the north-west, poor barley yields may not be supported by good straw pieces. "Quite a bit of the crop brackled so quality is not too good," says Cheshire consultant Derek Mitchell.
"Harvest is worse than last year and that was bad," says Tony Hall of Humberside Farmers. Pronto rape did 3.8-4.0t/ha (1.5-1.6t/acre) – 0.7t/ha (6 cwt/acre) below average. Winter barleys are about 2.5t/ha (1t/acre) down on past years. "Fighter and Intro have done well, but Regina brought home only 5.4t/ha with Muscat managing only 4.2-6.2t/ha of gramophone needles."
NFU Deputy President Tony Pexton budgets for 7.4t/ha (3t/acre) of winter barley, but in common with many crops in the Driffield area his averaged only 6.2t/ha (2.5 t/acre). Oilseed rape is 0.5t/ha (0.2t/acre) down on average. "The winter wheat looks good, but then so did the barley."
SCOTLAND
AN increasingly disappointing harvest is being snatched during occasional dry periods – but for every dry day there are two or three wet ones.
Winter barley remains to be cut in some areas, while others are ready to start spring barley. Oilseed rape has suffered badly from pigeon damage, shedding and slugs.
Douglas Morrison, the Scottish NFUs East Lothian-based cereals convenor, gets more despondent as the weeks go by. "Winter barley is expensive to grow and we need 8.5t/ha to be worthwhile. We are a tonne short of that and Melanie, Regina and Plaisant have all disappointed on our farm this year.
"Regina is high in nitrogen at 1.9%. Melanie has had very high screenings and I have heard some reports of 40% screenings. The oilseed rape has been a disaster with high losses of seed due to the pods bursting in the weather."
The wet weather has continued to play havoc on barometer grower Eric Haggarts Bailielands Farm at Auchterarder, Perthshire. "There had been quite a lot of shedding in the rape and the pigeons had taken a share, but we got 25-30cwt/acre."
Winter barley yields have been revised down. "The first field might have done 3t/acre, but the second was lighter at about 2.5t/acre. It has been coming off at 16-21% moisture, so we are now up to our ears drying."
Getting straw baled so land can be ploughed ready for the next crop is also proving to be a problem. "The final word on winter barley seems to be high screenings, low quality and yields about 2.5t/acre," says Alan Whiteford of Easter Ross. "That is not an economical yield, but it has been inconsistent and one or two people were quite pleased with their crops."
NIRELAND
HALF-WAY through his winter barleys barometer grower Michael Kane is happier than expected with his estimated 6.9t/ha (2.8t/acre) of Regina and Jewel.
"The quality is not too bad, I thought it would have been worse," he says. But heavy rain has taken its toll on the wheats, with 12ha (30 acres) of flat Reaper and first-time Abbot for milling destined for whole crop silage.
Elsewhere, 80% of barleys are harvested with variable yields and quality likely to be a problem, says Charles Davidson of North Down Grain. Oilseed rape, so far 10% done, is more promising, he says.
Lodging in wheats is likely to cause big differences in harvesting dates, according to DANIs Emerson McDowell. Fusarium on ears is widespread, he adds. "It is not looking too good." *