Mrs Down's Diary: September 8, 2005

What a relief. The spring barley has been harvested and the combine has made it through another year without a major breakdown.

By The Newsroom

Published 7th Sep 2005, 12:32 BST

Updated 8th Jun 2018, 03:36 BST

Although the crop looked minuscule, much shorter than the main crop of barley, the yield has been good.

John was able to drill the barley as soon as the land dried up in the spring because it had been ploughed in the autumn and left to weather over winter.

Because of all the new requirements, we do not think we can do that anymore, so it may have robbed us off the opportunity to sow a crop that is cheap to grow.

The only crop left to harvest now are the winter beans.

Two contracted combines are coming in tomorrow to get those. John is not risking a breakdown with our own machine.

There are about 45 acres to harvest and the beans were sown onto ploughed land, so they will be very bumpy to harvest.

Full column in West Sussex Gazette, September 8

West Sussex Gazette