July 2009 Diary
We harvested the 10 hectares of DK Cabernet on 31st July and were very pleased to see yields of 5.1 tonnes per hectare. Because the crop was being grown for seed, we couldn't use a desiccant and had to be very patient, waiting for the crop to ripen naturally. A brief period of relatively settled weather came during the last week of July, and that gave us the perfect opportunity to start combining.
Not using a desiccant meant that the plant stems were still quite green and fleshy. Fortunately, they weren't too thick, unlike several other varieties, and this allowed the combine to work quickly. In order to minimise the amount of green matter going into the combine we cut the crop very high, only taking the top 18 inches, leaving us with a high stubble.
The DK Cabernet was harvested towards the end of the day. Given the wet and cool conditions of late, we were expecting high moisture levels. As it turned out, the crop came in at a moisture content of around 10-11% meaning that only a minimal amount of drying was required.
Overall, the crop has been a great success and it should prove to be very popular with growers next season. Despite not being sown until 18th September last year, and the fact that we had a very wet and cold autumn, the crop has recovered exceptionally well and I am very happy with how it has performed. A yield of 5.1 t/ha isn't going to set any records, but it is certainly a very good outcome when you consider that for the third year in a row we have had far from ideal growing conditions.