This year’s harvest at Catalyst Farming has been a season of mixed results, largely shaped by challenging weather conditions. Despite these hurdles, some of our crops performed well, and we are thankful for the hard work of our team, which ensured we made the most out of a difficult growing season.
Harvest Summary for 2024:
1. Winter Barley Struggles in Wet Conditions Unfortunately, our winter barley has not performed as well as we had hoped. The exceptionally wet weather over the winter months, combined with low light levels in June and July, negatively impacted the crop’s development. While we worked hard to mitigate these challenges, the yields did not reach the levels we were aiming for this season.
2. Oilseed Rape: Variable But Solid Our oilseed rape has had a variable season. Some fields produced a good crop, while others struggled to cope with the unpredictable pressures from various crop pests. Overall, we’re satisfied with the outcome, though we’ll be reviewing our strategies for this crop to see where improvements can be made in future seasons.
3. Spring Barley: A Standout Success Spring barley has been a highlight of this harvest season, delivering strong yields and, more importantly, excellent malting quality. The drier conditions later in the season helped this crop flourish, and it has been rewarding to see the investment in crop management pay off.
4. Wheat: A Mixed Bag Wheat yields have been somewhat variable, performing better on lighter soils but proving disappointing on stronger land. We believe the low light levels in June and July, following a very wet winter, played a significant role in this outcome. The lighter land allowed for better drainage and root development, which helped mitigate some of the weather challenges, while the heavier soils struggled with waterlogging.
Weather Challenges and Lessons Learned
This season presented significant weather-related challenges. We received around 1000mm of rain during the growing season, significantly more than the average of 650mm. This excessive rainfall created difficult conditions for some crops, particularly in terms of waterlogging on heavier soils. The mild winter also led to increased levels of disease across many crops. Warmer conditions allowed diseases to establish and persist, impacting overall crop health and yields.
Another critical factor was the limited sunlight during June and July, which likely restricted the potential of some crops, particularly wheat. The combination of excessive rainfall, mild winter conditions, and low light levels posed significant challenges, but we have gained valuable insights for future strategies to better manage these conditions.
Looking Ahead
Despite the mixed results, we’re already planning for the next season. We will continue refining our approach, exploring ways to better manage weather-related risks, and ensuring that we can maintain strong, sustainable yields in the face of unpredictable conditions.
Thank You to Our Team and Partners
We couldn’t have managed this challenging season without the dedication of our team and the support of our partners. Together, we have adapted and overcome, and we’re looking forward to a more stable season ahead.
