Hello Angus,
I live in northern italy. In my area there is only one farmer growing buckwheat on significant surfaces (300 ha, 1000 mm rainfall). He started with direct combine but due to grain moisture problems (scalar maturation) he switched to windrowed with a honey-bee belt swather and then combine with pick-up header after 1 or 2 days. He harvests 1 to 2 tons per ha, temperatures at flowering may be to high (>30 degrees celsius) for a good grain setting.

Stefano