Fen Peas

Two things;
1. We need a sampler back from university.
2. There is going to be some mixed maturity.

The peas have moved a lot in 7 days, and sampling will begin as the week goes on. With the temperatures rising, it is all pointing to sometime next week to get the wheels turning.

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If there is one good thing to say about the pea crop this year it is that the crops seem to be flowering in sequence! However, whichever crops you look at they mostly look slightly off. This is down to the drought and frost.

The frost has had more of an impact than first thought. Anything in flower did take a battering at the time, but it is now evident that anything that was above ground took a hit. Some plants now coming into flower have blind growing points and are therefore producing no flowers. The extent of the affect of the frost will not be fully felt until we have some crop harvested. That could be in two weeks time!

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The pods are filling with what moisture they can find! Still looks like w/c 6th June for a start, but there is no doubt that the cooler temperatures of this week have slowed them down a bit. Frost damage is still coming out, and this, coupled with no rain, will lead to below average yields. Just how far below remains to be seen.

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With the peas now forming and swelling in the pods, the viners are done and we turn our attention to check the carts. Doug and Paul are now on their nineth pin I think, and are getting quicker by the minute. Even though most things are done it is incredible just how much time the bits and pieces take getting together. 4mm rain yesterday afternoon, gone by breakfast!

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A good look round the earlies to check they are still alive! Which I am pleased to report they are. Pods are begining to fill, and the irrigation that some early crops are receiving will be of a huge benefit.

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Mother nature keeps promising, but continues to fail to deliver! The frost damage, as ever, has taken a few days to fully show its effect, and a few crops are now showing signs of stress. I think we are now entering unchartered waters. We are in a drought and nothing short of significant rain is what is required.

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The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. The good, pod is developing well on the first crops with w/c 6th June looking favourite at the moment. The Bad, the frost of last week has caught some of the tender leaves, and odd flowers will abort, but it is too early to quantify any damage. The Ugly.....?

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That's it, they are all in! It is all down to mother nature now, and in some cases irrigation.

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As we wait for the forecasted rain, at the end of the week we are still in a dustbowl. If the rain is not significant then it could well be out with some irrigation next week. 96% in, so just a couple of days work left for drilling this year, and then a close inspection of the earlies and how they are flowering.

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With the Met Office publishing the weather stats for April, and a question about the drought conditions in Parliament, the media began to show an interest in the problems we face. BBC East Midlands came to see for themselves and discuss it both live and recorded, bringing a satellite van but no catering truck for Stuart. They sent the reports to BBC News Channel and the local BBC radio stations. It's bound to rain now!

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As has been previously said, peas not going into perfect conditions, however these were drilled last Wednesday and have proven to be very plucky and chitted in near arid conditions.

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A quiet weekend before what may well be the final push over the next two weeks. There is now talk of rain later in the week which will be more than welcome, and long overdue. Over the last nine weeks the average rainfall for the area is normally 50mm, all we have had is 3.5mm. It is a wonder some of these crops continue to grow. Luckily for the local wildlife they provide lunch on a regular basis!

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