Berkshire Farm Girl recounts the challenges of bringing in the harvest during the hot summer of 2022

Harvest came early this summer and, says Eleanor Gilbert, farmers worked tirelessly to gather in their crops in fear that when it rained it might never stop.

"We started harvest on July 10 and finished combining on August 13 in record time.

We have seen the driest conditions in years and have experienced everything from crops not growing at all because of the dry weather to some varieties preferring dry ground and producing outstanding results.

This is because the research into crop trials and varieties test to assist seeds to be drought and disease resistant and are then dressed or coated before planting to give the seed the best start.

Farmers have been combining oil seed rape in the early hours of the morning between 1am and 8am to catch the crop with a bit of dew that adds the extra moisture to ensure it is not rejected for being too dry at the crushers.

Oil seed rape is currently being purchased by the crush for more than £500 a tonne and is certainly in demand as the war in Ukraine adds pressure to the food supply. This will result in the cost of cooking oil soaring in price this year.

The ground has had huge cracks in and has been hard on the equipment, we have seen damages to equipment and particularly a lot of punctures because of the conditions.

Field fires and machinery fires have been a constant source of worry, and we carry extra fire extinguishers and are continuously looking out for smoke.

There have been several field fires and machinery fires in the area this year and we are very lucky to have a great fire service covering West Berkshire who are experienced and are always on hand to help if we need.

This summer we lost a stack of straw due to a flint catching a bale and a small baler fire that was caught early enough by our vigilant baler driver Billy.

Planting has not taken place as normal as the conditions are too dry and drilling seed into dust is a guaranteed failure.

We need the process of imbibition (uptake of water by seed) and without this germination will not occur.

We would normally plant stubble turnips and oil seed rape almost immediately after harvesting, but until we get some rain this will be on hold.

Maize that feeds cattle is also struggling and farmers are waiting to see if the cobs will form.

There has not been a second cut silage in the area and this could lead to a shortage and farmers may have to purchase additional feed for livestock.

My time this summer was split between working full time at my placement at Bartholomew’s in Chichester and coming home for the weekend to help with harvest.

It has been hard going and I am tired, but the inner drive to get harvest in is in-built in farmers and it is just something you must do."