They began harvesting their 750 acres of arable land on June 28, two weeks earlier than normal
They began harvesting their 750 acres of arable land on June 28, two weeks earlier than normal
The 86F heatwave which has swept Britain in the last week has caused an almost unheard of June harvest at a British farm.

Bisterne Estate in Ringwood, Hampshire, produces seed barley, milling wheat and biscuit rye, and began harvesting their 750 acres of arable land on June 28, two weeks earlier than normal.

Farm manager Martin Button says this is the earliest harvest there since 1976.

However, they are expecting a significantly reduced yield as the barley grain is much smaller than in a typical year, which was been attributed to the dry summer.

A harvester at the farm in Ringwood which began harvesting its arable land as early as June 28
A harvester at the farm in Ringwood which began harvesting its arable land as early as June 28
He said: 'We've never started in June in the 30 years I've been here. The earliest I can remember is July 2, and we would normally start the harvest between July 12 and 14.

'We are a dry farm with very light, sandy soil and I can't remember the last time it rained. We are harvesting winter barley at the moment and then we will harvest the winter wheat and rye.

'Our typical winter barley yield is 8-9 tonnes per hectare but this year we are looking at 6-7 tonnes so the yield is down because of the very small grain. We expect it to be the same for the wheat yield.'
uk harvest early June 28 2018
Estate manager Sam Mitchell holds some of the barley which has been harvested since June 28