FARMERS in Hereford-shire and Shropshire, hit by the changeable weather throughout August, were going flat out this week harvesting the deteriorating wheat and other crops.
Farmers in the north of Herefordshire and south Shropshire seem to have had more favourable weather conditions than those in the south and on Tuesday of this week it was estimated that about half the cereal crops had been gathered in. In other parts of Herefordshire, however, the estimate was between 30 and 35 per cent.
Colin Payne of Craven Grain, Shobdon, said growers were pushing on with the harvest and hoping to catch up. By Tuesday 13,000 tonnes had been collected with more than 10,000 still to come at the firm's Shobdon grain store.
"We also trade up in north Shropshire and the position there has not been so good," added Mr Payne.
In the north of the county the heavier clay-based soils have also helped farmers to get onto fields with heavy harvesting equipment while in the south the generally lighter soils have resulted in some machinery having problems moving over the wet ground.
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