Harvest Started. Suddenly.

Dad always plants about 40 acres of short season, 97 day (Channel 197-67VT3P) corn. This year, I noticed that it went from green to brown in a span of about 2 days. Dad checked the moisture on it Wednesday and it tested 14%, which is pretty dry. See, if it's 16% moisture content (% of the weight of the corn that is water, basically) or less, you don't get docked at the elevator for moisture. If it's above that, they will charge you a drying fee, which I'm assuming is the same as last year - $.03 a half point. So, if you are taking 20% moisture corn in, they will have to dry it down to 16%. Because of that, they will charge you $.24/bu.

Anyway. The corn was dry, so it was time to pick it.

We finally got the combine out of the shop Friday morning around 11:30. We got the field opened up and picked a couple of loads when a shaft snapped on the corn head. It had been broken for awhile apparently and finally gave out, so it's nice that it happened right away so we could fix it. Shay stopped at Green Line after work and got a new one and Dad had the head back together that night. Dad and I went out this afternoon and filled the trucks and the auger wagons. The corn was yielding 190-200bu/acre until we got to the hot spots in the field. This particular field has a few spots that are really sandy, and with no rain this summer, there's really no way to get them the moisture they need. The field will still yield well considering that. I'm guessing 175-180bu/acre. By my mistake, Dad picked 8 rows of 116 day corn (Channel 216-61R) and it was making around 220 at 18% moisture, so there is some hope out there for good corn. Time will tell.

We also tested some of our other corn that is 107-109 day maturity, and it was anywhere from 19-23% moisture. Supposed to be hot and windy the next two days, and stay close to 80 after that, so we will probably be picking corn full blast by the weekend, and if not, by next Monday. The beans are also turning fast, so it could be an interesting fall.