SCOTLAND
SCOTLAND
SPRING barley harvesting is now well under way, with moderate results, and wheats will be fit by the weekend.
In Easter Ross, Alan Whiteford started a week earlier than last year and by Monday night had 90ha (220 acres) cleared. A trial field of new variety Landlord was the first cut, yielding 6.4t/ha (2.6t/acre), comfortably ahead of Chariot and Optics 5.6t/ha (2.25t/acre).
"It did not look wonderful, but was ready on Aug 13, pretty early by any standards. Nitrogen was 1.6% like other varieties. Levels are generally 0.1% higher than last year here, but you do not have to travel far to find them below last year," he says.
Further west, barometer grower Scott Adam at Kippen, Stirling, says his barley is still a week away. But he hopes to be into winter wheat by the end of the week.
"I may well cut the Encore just before it is fully ripe, because conditions are ideal for sprouting."