It will not have escaped your attention that there have been no posts since the middle of last month. Two good reasons, lack of time and lack of camera. We have recently completed our longest season ever, 66 days. We would normally expect to be running around the fields of Lincolnshire for 50 days. After what was a lean start in terms of yield, the rains came just right and the late peas went some way to make up the lack of yield from the early peas. By the end men and machines were tired and ready for a well earned rest. The length of the season means that for the first time for a number of years we have nothing to combine, which means we can turn our attention to 2012 straight away. Below are various images from the season. There will be more to follow as we update our website, which should be complete next month.

We were reminded what things used to be like!

Is there an Hernandez there some where?

Even the high tip trailer got tired this year!

We hosted a fact finding visit for industry representitives.

The honour of the last breed went to our “Learner” driver Jamie.

and finally

Not a great picture, but on arrival at the field this morning at 3am, the Boys were greeted with a rave in full progress. The police were there trying to sort it out, but it was pretty difficult to make anything of those attending, I understand! Not the same as the usual wildlife you might see. We have now completed the Geneva in Holbeach Marsh and will be on the road to Whaplode Fen to start the Markardo. A busy front end of the week, then there may be a stop. The week will also see a number of field visits taking place from customers and interested parties from the industry.

The temperature rose, but the peas did not move any quicker so we found ourselves having to stop and wait again. It may be that this is a feature of the 2011 season. No good for us, and no good for our customers. The plan made in the winter is to drill the peas so that we continue 24hrs a day for just over 40 days. That is however, based on average temperatures and rainfall, which this growing season has not seen as we all know. No doubt it will be the case that the peas will be ready again at the weekend!

Message for Jake. We should be in Bannister’s peas early next week.

The boilers are now stoked up again and the peas are ready north of Boston, so it’s full steam ahead for a few days.

Tonight saw us complete the peas at Tattershall, and with the Fen not reading high enough we will be stopping for a few days. At Cereals last week Sally Elkington of Lincs FM was talking to me about the pea harvest and an impromtu interview took place. Can’t remember all that I said, but the results will be broadcast this Sunday on the Lincs FM Farming programme at 7am. The Pod Squad will be tunned in!

Harvesting at Patrick Dean’s Farm near Lincoln, who just happen to be hosting Cereals this year. You could never plan that this would happen! With such a huge volume of traffic expected there were various road closures in the area which could have proved to be a bit of a challenge, but the local law enforcement agency were more than happy to let us go where we wanted as long as we stayed clear of the A15. We are harvesting Style which is a variety that looks like it is well passed it’s best before you harvest it, but the peas are going in as A and B grade which is spot on. As for Cereals, great event, lots of impressive machinery and trial plots, and the above. Maybe we will modify a pea viner in the winter!

A visit by the brains fo the industry to look at some trials in one of our fields. Robert Church (Church of Bures) drilled some plots in of our fields, and some of the new material coming through from the States does look promising. These are always good times to catch up between Groups and compare how each variety is doing in the early stages of the season. The rain of the weekend has certainly perked things up, and the crops has visibly altered. I still do not think it is enough to make up for the effects of the drought and frost, despite what others may think.

After exams and I suspect a few celebrations our students, Jamie and Nick, have landed. So now we have a full team. However we would not have got through the last few days as easily as we did without the help of Mark and Harry, who came in at the last minute to cover for the late arrivals. This afternoon on The Heath it was dust behind the wheels. So much for the rain!

I don’t know what it is about this year but we seem to be having a lot of aerial viewers! However I don’t think I would wish to be in the ballon at that height! We have now had a few days hard at it with a bit of travelling around the county. As expected yields are down, but there is a significant yield benefit where the peas have been irrigated. Today will see us complete Sleaford and then move up to Lincoln Heath in the early hours. Next week will be spent up and down the Heath, but not disrupting the Cereals traffic too much! If you are into the Classics then the picture below will bring to mind the flight of Icarus. I can report that he came out the other side, wings entact.