We’ve managed to get all the winter barley harvested already, and the winter wheat is being combined as I type! The spring barley fields will be following shortly - thanks to all this dry weather and sunshine!
For the barley harvest, (both spring and winter), what we are looking for is ears of corn with lots of tightly packed grains. These should be firm to the touch but not so dry and hard that they will fall from the head onto the ground below.
Farmers talk about harvest in terms of moisture and yield. A crop of barley should ideally be harvested at a moisture level of less than 16-18%. Most grain merchants would look to buy in grain at around 12-13% moisture which is the aim, but the British weather often means farmers have to take their opportunities where they can and then use drying machines to dry the grains down once they’re brought in from the field. This year has proved to be an exception in terms of moisture levels on harvest so hopefully it’s not too dry!
We’ve heard reports of farmers further South who have been going out combining at 2am to get the grain in before it loses all its moisture.
Yield is the amount of grains per tonne that the combine collects. A good growing year can give yields of four to five tonnes per acre whereas a bad year might only produce yields of two to three tonnes per acre.
Whatever happens, it will still make lots of tasty beer and whisky!
Kate and Alex