The winter barley harvest is drawing to a close in many parts of the country. Harvesting of winter oats and oilseed rape has also kicked off, as well as some crops of spring barley sown in January and February.
Mark Ronaldson sent in the video below – which he took last week. He captured his father Tim, cutting Bazooka winter barley along the edge of the River Liffey, just outside Ballymore Eustace, Naas, Co. Kildare. Pictured beside Tim in the combine is his wife Jackie.
Speaking to AgriLand, Mark stated that the crop was doing about 3.4t/ac and the moisture content was 20% – this seems to be a fairly standard yield in the region for this season. By his estimates, grain yields were a fraction below normal and straw yield seemed to be out-performing grain yield.
The barley was grown for Athgarvan Grain and was destined for Wynne’s in Moone, Co. Kildare. The Ronaldsons were cutting away on Monday, July 29, but rain halted proceedings on Tuesday.
Next on the list to be cut were the two-row winter barley crops. Winter oats and winter wheat will follow in the coming days and weeks.
Commenting on straw, Mark stated: “We’re trying to get as much of it baled as we can. There was a small bit we had to turn where there was dew overnight.
We’ll try and bale all of the barley straw because we have a good market for it. There are a lot of stud farms around us.
“It might depend on the weather, if we chop oaten straw or not, but we try and save as much straw as we can,” he added.