Farmers provide update on harvest 2025

James Peck of P.X. Farms has provided Farmers Guide with an update on the Belfry winter barley harvest on a farm in Cambridgeshire from the end of last week.

He said: “We got mixed results on the barley so far. We started off quite strong on the heavier land, and as we went onto more lighter land, the yields started to deteriorate. We did 8.76t/h on the first bit of land. It’s lower than our average but perhaps better than expected.”

Mr Peck then moved onto a barley field in Lincolnshire. He said that the yields vary from 8.76 to 9.3t/h on the heavy land and from 3.5 to 6t/h on the lightest land.

Day and night the boys and girls are harvesting. pic.twitter.com/slm1Rq3C8b

— James S. Peck (@Pxfarms) July 4, 2025

He added: “We’ve noticed a dramatic difference depending on the land type. What is also tremendous is that the land which was long term controlled traffic farming has yielded better than new fields to CTF.”

While comparing the winter barley yields from fields located in different areas, Mr Peck said: “Lincolnshire has the lowest yields, Cambridgeshire has one of the highest yields and Bedfordshire, so far, looks the same as Cambridgeshire, if not slightly better.”

When asked how he would sum up the harvest so far, Mr Peck said: “It’s a year to forget. The only saving grace at the moment is that currently there is no drying cost.

“We are managing to combine without drying, so that is a positive.” Mr Peck concluded by saying that the drought effects on harvest 2025 are “extraordinary”.

Duck feet on the header trail by Ian Clayton-Bailey BTT UK pic.twitter.com/VqxrLgnLJZ

— James S. Peck (@Pxfarms) July 4, 2025

Harvest in Hertfordshire

Eveey Hunter of J S Hunter & Sons in Hertfordshire said that 65ha of Hear oilseed rape grown on contract for Cefetra has so far been harvested. The crop was drilled on 24th July 2024. Moisture levels vary between 8-8.7%

Ms Hunter said: “We’ve harvested 3t/ha on average. I would say it’s slightly lower than usual but not by much – maybe by 0.25t/ha.

“We haven’t had any problems with crop establishment this year – what’s scary is how quick the wheat and the beans are going to be ready.”

Will we be on holiday by the 15th August this year? pic.twitter.com/69xvPRBRUD

— Eveey Hunter (@farmerevees) July 8, 2025

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