FOR many people, the British summertime means trips to the beach, barbecues in the garden and warm summer evenings. For farmers, July, August, and September means harvest time! Since the autumn planting in 2019 this is what it has all been working towards - harvest 2020.

We have previously discussed the difficulty of the growing season, a wet winter and the dry spring but nevertheless the crops are what they are and when they are fit to harvest arable farmers work around the clock to get the crop in to the shed, safe and dry. We harvest a whole range of crops in the UK from beans, peas, lupins, linseed, and oilseed rape through the more commonly known cereal crops like wheat, barley, and oats. All the above are harvested using a combine harvester that chomps its way through acres of crop per day.

The majority of crops are sold via a merchant who links the farmer to the processor, with the most valuable crops for human consumption, such as wheat for milling and barley for beer. Crops that don’t quite make the grade are then used for animal feed. Throughout the year farmers are continually estimating yields and running financial budgets, but it’s not until the crop is safely in the shed and the quality has been tested that the farmer truly knows what they have to sell.

So far farmers are reporting reasonable yields but 2020 certainly won’t be a bumper harvest. Crops like milling wheat are selling well due to the uptake in home baking while crops such as malting barley are still sat in the stores from last year due to the closure of pubs, bars, and restaurants. This is a stark reminder that as primary producers, farmers are at the mercy of the supply chain above them, but by the nature of the work it is very hard to adapt in real time. However, farmers have a long-term view and approach to their business and in time the markets will resettle.

Harvest is a busy time but as a rule an enjoyable job, with the satisfaction of reaping the benefits of a year of hard work. There is still a way to go in harvest 2020 but many farmers are focusing on that goal of combining the last acre and making their way towards a harvest festival.

Will Hyde, Dorset County Show Secretary