On the Farm: Harvest Complete Across Lincolnshire with a Frustrating but Fast Season
Farming correspondent Andrew Ward MBE reports on a frustrating but remarkably fast harvest at Glebe Farm, a record-breaking John Deere training event, and a barn dance in aid of Lincolnshire Rural Support Network
Harvest is now complete across Lincolnshire, and for many arable farmers it has proved a frustrating season. Wheat and barley crops looked exceptionally promising earlier in the year, with thick crops suggesting we’d enjoy a strong harvest.
And yet when it arrived a month early, after prolonged sunshine, the grain that emerged was often small, very dry or inconsistent in size. Moisture was around 12%, instead of the ideal 15%, which means farmers are likely to have obtained yields about 2.5 ton/ha below what might usually be expected.
This has been the earliest harvest for around 20 years, with yields generally falling below the 10 year average. Oilseed rape performed rather better, offering at least one more encouraging result in a season that did not quite fulfil its early promise.
Farming rarely delivers exactly what the crop appears to suggest, and this year has been a reminder that good looking fields do not always translate into equally good grain. Lincolnshire remains one of Britain’s most important food producing counties, so the quality and quantity of each harvest matters far beyond the farm gate, affecting millers, maltsters, merchants and consumers alike.
There has, however, been one advantage to bringing harvest in so early. With the grain safely stored, we have been able to begin spreading muck from a neighbouring poultry farm, returning valuable nutrients to the soil and preparing the land for the next growing season.
John Deere brings its newest combines to Glebe Farm
Harvest on our farm was not only early, but completed with unprecedented speed. John Deere selected Glebe Farm as the venue for a three day UK wide training event featuring its newest combines. During the three day event, three machines worked simultaneously in our fields. These included an S7 single rotor combine, a T6 straw walker machine and the company’s 2027 X9 1100 twin rotor flagship, fitted with a 50 foot header, the first of its kind in the UK.
Dealer staff travelled from across the country to learn about the latest machinery, and the technology continues to become more sophisticated each year. Modern combines can automatically control trailers as they pull alongside, scan the crop ahead and adjust forward speed to maintain a steady flow through the machine. Headers can flex to follow the contours of the field, while automatic systems can even manage turning at the end of each row.
All we need now is a combine capable of controlling the weather!
Barn dance raises funds for Lincolnshire Rural Support Network
Elsewhere, we recently held a barn dance at Glebe Farm to raise funds for Lincolnshire Rural Support Network. LRSN provides an important lifeline for people working in agriculture, horticulture and related industries across the county. Its work includes one to one support, awareness campaigns and practical services focused on physical health and wellbeing.
Farming can be a rewarding way of life, but it can also be demanding, uncertain and isolating. Charities such as LRSN provide confidential, specialist support at times when it is needed most. After a harvest that brought speed, impressive machinery and some disappointing yields, it was good to bring the local community together for a cause that understands rural life so well.
FAQ
How did the 2026 Lincolnshire harvest perform? This year’s harvest arrived around a month early after prolonged sunshine, the earliest in around 20 years. Grain moisture was around 12%, below the ideal 15%, with yields around 2.5 ton/ha below what might usually be expected and generally below the 10 year average. Oilseed rape was one bright spot, performing better than the cereal crops.
What machinery did John Deere bring to Glebe Farm? John Deere used Glebe Farm as the venue for a three day UK wide training event, running an S7 single rotor combine, a T6 straw walker machine, and the company’s 2027 X9 1100 twin rotor flagship fitted with a 50 foot header — the first of its kind in the UK — working simultaneously in the fields.
What is Lincolnshire Rural Support Network? LRSN provides support for people working in agriculture, horticulture and related industries across Lincolnshire, including one to one support, awareness campaigns and practical services focused on physical and mental wellbeing.
Watch Wardy’s Waffle: Our farming correspondent Andrew Ward MBE is an arable farmer in Leadenham growing wheat, barley, sugar beet, beans and oats. Andrew has his own YouTube channel, Wardy’s Waffle, which is enjoyed by over 23,500 subscribers. Watch his updates Wednesday evenings from 7pm and Sunday mornings at 8am. Search YouTube for @WardysWaffleAndrewWard.
