At last, after more than three weeks, it’s possible to make out the rows of beans. I always forget how slow they are to emerge, but at this early stage, there seems to be a good even emergence.

As they need no nitrogen fertiliser and have been treated with a pre-emergent herbicide, I expect the next treatment will be an application to control the chocolate spot fungus.

This can cause serious yield losses and with costs so high this year, we have, at present prices, no option but to attempt to maximise yield.

I had decided some time ago that if forward prices hit €300/t, I would forward sell some of the cereals. Last week, green barley for September delivery hit €300/t and wheat hit €310/t, so I took the decision to sell less than 10% of my expected crop.

With costs so high this year, we have, at present prices, no option but to attempt to maximise yield

Perhaps prices will continue rising and I will have made the wrong decision, but there are so many uncertainties that some limited hedging seemed appropriate.

Most of my crops are tied to harvest prices in any event and I haven’t investigated the possibility of selling the oilseed rape or beans forward, but with the devastation in Ukraine, it is hard to see oilseed rape especially falling in price.

A few years ago, travelling in southern Russia, along the Ukrainian border, the landscape was an unending ocean of golden sunflowers waiting for harvest, while there were huge lines of trucks heading to the Black Sea ports loaded with the early-harvested grain.

It is hard to believe that such a productive area is now the subject of such destruction. Meanwhile, back at base, the winter barley is definitely showing signs of barley yellow dwarf virus.

Most of my crops are tied to harvest prices in any event and I haven’t investigated the possibility of selling the oilseed rape or beans forward

In recent years, we have moved to earlier sowing to avoid mucking in crops in a wet autumn, which is bad for soil structure and also results in lower yields. But side by side with earlier sowing, we have seen the most effective protective seed dressings banned on environmental grounds, even though they have been allowed again for the control of the similar virus yellows in sugar beet in France. I am told that the incidence of barley yellow dwarf virus is at too low a level to reduce yields, but I would still rather it wasn’t there.

Cattle

Meanwhile, on the cattle side, we have had our annual herd test. With everything destined for the factory, I am not sure about the logic in having a full annual TB test, but they are the rules and we have little option but to go along with them.

Anyway, we had a clear test, so apart from the bill, we are finished with TB testing for another year – unless we have a factory reactor.