Oilseed rape

T has been getting up at 3.30 in the morning to harvest the oilseed rape. It is too hot during the day as the seeds will not readily give their oil when processed if they are too dry.  They are so tiny that they flow like water so the trailers have to be lined where there are cracks so the seed cannot escape.  The temperatures during the last couple of days have been in the mid to high 30's on the farm.  The fields of bright yellow flowers have now long gone and the plants have died and become brittle with many seed pods.  The heap will be sold to make vegetable oil for cooking and other products and will be collected by lorry from the corn barn.

C and the dogs who have been staying went home today hoping to find that her house is at last beginning to cool down in Bradford on Avon where the temperatures have been higher.