Diary

Cereals, Pulses & Oilseeds

Harvest was delayed by 7-10 days of rain at the beginning but was followed by very good harvest conditions. This initial delay closed the gap between crops ripening times and winter wheat harvest had only just got into full swing when the spring barley crops came to maturity. In order to preserve quality and volume we contracted in 5 New Holland and 2 Dons combines to speed up the harvest. The JCB Fastrack and Chaser Bin combination improved harvest efficiencies and we also created short term dump areas in the fields to ensure the harvesters were never stood waiting for transport as the elevators were very busy and tipping times long as the record Russian harvest (+100 million tonnes) progressed. Yields were varied with the land which had been cropped for 3 to 4 years since being derelict performing very well, as did the land fallowed the previous year, but the average was lowered by yields from the land cropped for the first and second time since being derelict suffering from the usual problems of wet and high weed areas. These take time to work out and it also takes 2-3 years to correct the nutritional deficiencies and re-build levels in the soil during which time full yield potential is not normally achievable. Even so, Heartland Farms was amongst the top 3 producers in the Belinsky region with many crops making first position. The spring oilseed rape did well with yields for this crop, the first we have grown in any volume, meeting expectations and above for those crops where additional nitrogen applications directly translated into improved output. Peas were variable. Our own seed saved from last year performed well but the new seed purchased this year proved to be a mix of 2 varieties leading to uneven ripening and shedding of the early ripening variety. Quality wise an acceptable percentage of the wheat production made Class 4 and above for milling (above the average), avoiding too much fodder grain which was difficult to market and all the spring barley made malting. Rape oils averaged a good 46% although add mixtures were high requiring cleaning. Prices, in line with the world market, declined from the start of harvest. We adopted a policy of marketing as much and as quickly as possible including making some sales prior to harvest, which is not easy in Russia, and we managed to sell a decent percentage of the winter wheat and all the oilseed rape before prices fell too far. The contract price for the malting barley was helped by fixing the pricing of 25% of the production well in advance of harvest.

Potatoes & Sugar Beet

The potato crop (2nd year trial) looked outstanding from planting to harvest. Some irrigation was required but not as much as the previous year. The two varieties grown were aimed at the domestic ware market and required only limited grading. The demand grew as harvest progressed and the price, unlike grain, increased. We intend to increase the area next year and need to look at storage to ease the pressure at harvest and take advantage of later season prices. We are already offered contracts for 2009 at prices in excess of 2008. Sugar beet lifting has gone well with one machine covering the 1,000ha grown this year. We started harvesting early September and will complete in a few days time. The yields on the good and well prepared land have been excellent but those on the poorer areas disappointed, however, the average yield is acceptable with sugar levels running at 18% average.