CIH 1660 - Go ahead and laugh at me...

Dave H (MI) · Dec 15, 2014

...if you want, but using a combine is about one of the coolest things I have ever done in my life (and i have done some pretty cool things!). But that is the end of the story...

So I decided today was the day. Nice here. Dealer open to bail me out if I need it. I would not leave the hayfield until I was sure the combine was topped up on coolant, oil and hydraulic fluid so took a bit of time to get going. Ran it, drove it around, did everything I could to make it overheat but it never did. So hit the road and headed to the farm. Just shy of 20 miles and I had an unusually high percentage of polite drivers and very few of the rude ones. Took me about an hour and a half to get out there. Combine driving with a head on the front is actually easier than without. I had a lot less trouble on hills. So I arrived. Wife and daughters already there with the gate open and pulled her on the place for the first time. Took her for a little spin in the picked beans to get a feel for how it handles in the wet ground. I liked it. Back up by the road to test the unloading chute and auger. That worked fine, a few wet leaves found their way out. So over to the cornfield. Line myself up as best I can but I somehow ended up with one row hanging outside the field. Engaged the rotor and adjusted the speed. Adjusted the fan speed. Engaged the corn head and adjusted height. Rolled into the corn slowly and watched as it popped the ears out of the husks and fed them into the feeder house. Looked behind me and corn started to pop out of the auger slowly. Moved into heavier corn and kicked up my speed a tad. Now the corn is REALLY coming out of the auger. I ran about 200 feet, five rows (because I lined up wrong) and then stopped. Walked back thru the field. Nothing but empty cobs! Looked in the bin, nothing but nice clean corn! I swear, I will never forget this day as long as I live. I cannot explain it, just really cool machine and fun to use.

So a couple of epilogue type things:

1) Rad stopped leaking.

2) Corn tested 24% and clean. I dropped 10% moisture since the last test early this month.

Going back to pick the rest later this week!!!

Dugger · Dec 15, 2014

(quoted from post at 16:02:05 12/15/14) ...if you want, but using a combine is about one of the coolest things I have ever done in my life (and i have done some pretty cool things!). But that is the end of the story...

So I decided today was the day. Nice here. Dealer open to bail me out if I need it. I would not leave the hayfield until I was sure the combine was topped up on coolant, oil and hydraulic fluid so took a bit of time to get going. Ran it, drove it around, did everything I could to make it overheat but it never did. So hit the road and headed to the farm. Just shy of 20 miles and I had an unusually high percentage of polite drivers and very few of the rude ones. Took me about an hour and a half to get out there. Combine driving with a head on the front is actually easier than without. I had a lot less trouble on hills. So I arrived. Wife and daughters already there with the gate open and pulled her on the place for the first time. Took her for a little spin in the picked beans to get a feel for how it handles in the wet ground. I liked it. Back up by the road to test the unloading chute and auger. That worked fine, a few wet leaves found their way out. So over to the cornfield. Line myself up as best I can but I somehow ended up with one row hanging outside the field. Engaged the rotor and adjusted the speed. Adjusted the fan speed. Engaged the corn head and adjusted height. Rolled into the corn slowly and watched as it popped the ears out of the husks and fed them into the feeder house. Looked behind me and corn started to pop out of the auger slowly. Moved into heavier corn and kicked up my speed a tad. Now the corn is REALLY coming out of the auger. I ran about 200 feet, five rows (because I lined up wrong) and then stopped. Walked back thru the field. Nothing but empty cobs! Looked in the bin, nothing but nice clean corn! I swear, I will never forget this day as long as I live. I cannot explain it, just really cool machine and fun to use.

So a couple of epilogue type things:

1) Rad stopped leaking.

2) Corn tested 24% and clean. I dropped 10% moisture since the last test early this month.

Going back to pick the rest later this week!!!

Hey there
I have to agree
Running a combine is one of the biggest joys a farmer has
There is nothing that compares
Enjoy it while you can
Dugger

Moline_guy · Dec 15, 2014

Congratulations on your successful day!!!!! I have been following your corn challenges, and I was a little hesitant to read the post, fearing you had more trouble. Glad it went well, not much better than running a nice combine in a good crop. Several years ago I was not able to harvest to do the same conditions you are experiencing and the weather turned for the worse, I ended up combining in june of the next year, I don't recommend that!!!!

Case Nutty 1660 · Dec 15, 2014

That is what I call a "Happy Harvest Day" glad things are going well now,,,,,, How about some pics if you get time? Thanks for sharing with us
cnt

JD Seller · Dec 15, 2014

Glad you finally got to have some GOOD moments with the machine you bought!!!

One of the most at peace times I ever feel is in the dark of a real clear night. A full moon makes it even better. Running a combine in good corn. Your in your own little world. I often would open the side door just to listen to the machine and crop going through it. It is a special feeling.

Dave H (MI) · Dec 15, 2014

"Enjoy it while you can"

Gah! That sounds ominous!! What have you heard???

I'll tell you what. I'll enjoy it until the next breakdown. After watching it peel those ears today though, not thinking that is gonna be soon. Hoping anyway!

Dave H (MI) · Dec 15, 2014

Thanks! I actually gave it some thought. Leaving it until Spring. Then "paul" said something in a post about not wanting to mess up next years planting. That hit home with me. I decided to sell it wet and pay the drying fee. If it stays as dry as it is, that fee is not going to be so large as I thought!

Dave H (MI) · Dec 15, 2014

Thanks! It was a pretty sweet day. I actually like driving the crazy thing on the roads. Two of my best days in 2014 were doing so. The first, when I drove it cross country home, looking at all the growing fields. That was the first time I ever drove a combine. The second was today with my youngest daughter in the buddy seat. I have pictures AND video of sorts. I will get the pics uploaded soon. Have to put the kids onto the video. No idea how to do that, but I will.

notjustair · Dec 15, 2014

Call me strange, but to me there is nothing more exciting (or filled with pride) than walking behind a combine and seeing nothing but trash and having a clean sample in the bin. The most important thing to me is having a nice clean product to take to the elevator - I don't want anyone seeing some trashy truck full from someone that doesn't know their machine. You are so much farther ahead because you worked all over that machine. If it had been field ready it wouldn't have been adjusted as well and you wouldn't have that pride. You will keep that combine for many years just because of that successful moment. I run a JD 9500 and I have never been proud of the sample it gives. I will buy an old Massey to use on oats just to have that feeling again. I know how to adjust a Massey (like an old super 92) to give a good sample.

Dave H (MI) · Dec 15, 2014

I'm gonna have to give that a try! Not this year, but sometime soon. I am so relaxed to night it is amazing. Never realized how stressful this was getting to be. Can't wait to get back out there later in the week and REALLY play with the thing. Love watching that clean corn boil out of the auger! Thanks!

paul · Dec 15, 2014

There is something special about corn running through a combine when its yours. Its generally easy on the machine, header height is forgiving, and the bushels pile up so fast, it is just a good feeling.
Land, now you are a real farmer, getting your harvest out.

Glad it worked for you to get going.

24% is not too bad! you did well with your breakdown, getting better corn.

if it takes a few days to get back to it, might be 20-22%. It all helps.

Thanks for the update, was wondering how it was going.

Paul

IowaJohn · Dec 15, 2014

As George Peppard said in the A-Team "it's great when a plan comes together."

John_PA · Dec 15, 2014

You got my hopes up... I was fully prepared to laugh at you before I clicked on the thread.

Then I read about your day. I can't laugh at that. After all, what you felt today is what every farmer has felt. It's not _just_ the combine. It's the harvest. Otherwise, everything you did, up until this point was pointless and a waste. That's the magic of the harvest. I enjoy running tractors and combines. I enjoy doing the menial jobs, like spreading manure and mowing stubble or even lawn grass. But what's the point with lawn grass? Where will you ever feel that same sense of pride and accomplishment when you look out and see a clipped lawn? It pales in comparison with gathering a harvest. You just created life and meaningful crop that would not exist if it wasn't for your toil. On top of that, you have someone who will buy your crop and use it. So now, you get to operate one of the most awesome machines that a farmer can own, and you get a check when you are all done. Like my dad says... "All this fun _AND_ I get paid?" 8)

Here's the good part!

Back in late October and early November the basis at the elevator was horrible and the corn price was floating around $3.30 on CBOT. Around here, with basis being -0.45 and heavy drying charges, you would be looking at $2.75 corn.

Right now, the corn price on CBOT is around $4. (was $4.08 when I typed this.) Our basis is heading up to about -0.30. IF you figure a 20-24 cent per bushel drying charge, and the shrink; you are still looking at $3.75ish per bushel! That's a buck for doing nothing!

I can't wait to see the pictures. I need a visual o how in the world you took that machine down the road with a 6 row head. I can't picture it, as around here, my combine is as wide as the entire row with the head on.

Robert Major · Dec 15, 2014

I was starting to reading your reply and thinking hope you never walk behind a green one. Then you said it your self . we run a 750 MF it does a way better job than the newer green from next door in everything we put through it.
I drove past their field one day with my then boss, and said whys he discing that nice crop of winter wheat in. with a kinda sly smile on my face. Boss said that's no winter wheat thats what came out the back of the Deere in the straw chopper!. it's amazing how many fields round here ,you can follow the thin green line in!.
Regards Robert

IaGary · Dec 16, 2014

I always have said if I ever won the lottery I would probably quit farming but I would buy a new combine and just drive up and down the roads and help the other farmers for free.

I love combining that much.

Gary

Dave H (MI) · Dec 16, 2014

When I was standing out in that hayfield, two miles from home, looking at fog that has been almost daily hanging over our heads at about 50', all I could think about was that it was gonna go in the opposite direction. When my wife came back from the elevator I pulled up in the tractor and threw the door open and just waited for the boom to fall. At last count I was looking at 76 cents a bushel drying cost. She said, "well, sorry to tell you..." Then she cracked a big smile and laid it out for me...and CLEAN to boot. Drying cost just fell by over 50%! Roundabout 40 cents a bushel. Yeah, I'll take it!!

Dave H (MI) · Dec 16, 2014

It's frigging amazing when you spend over a year putting a cornfield together and you finally pull the lever and clean corn gushes out of the unloading chute. We all worked on it together and four really happy people padlocked the gate and went home last night.

Dave H (MI) · Dec 16, 2014

I know for a fact I have a couple of road pictures. Not as many as I would have liked but the girls were all pretty tense and I was driving. After the first couple miles I realized I was whistling a Christmas tune and my daughter was staring at me incredulously. She said "you're not even a little nervous?". No, not really. I knew by that point it was running like clockwork and the trip would be good.

You really nailed it in your post though. The whole thing, from putting the seeds in the ground to watching them grow into 8' plants that eventually die in the fall was like an act from Genesis. Now we get to take the rest off the field, assured that everything works smoothly, collect our pay and settle into a comfortable Christmas. And on the other side of the holidays we get to start it all over again. Nothing wrong with that! Throw a couple of nice tractors into the mix, several pieces of fairly awesome tillage and planting equipment, and then at the end of the process you get to pull the combine out of the shed. Definitely does NOT suck.

Good news about the prices! We never asked about it yesterday. I guess because it is no longer as important as it once was. At some point this whole venture has become more about the journey and less about the results. Still glad to hear I might make a buck or two, though! Nothing wrong with THAT either!!!

Dave H (MI) · Dec 16, 2014

Very well said! I have told my wife several times this year that I have to find some way to keep the combine and use it because it may possibly be the coolest machine I have ever seen and operated. I don't expect a ton of money. If I can look forward each season to a more streamlined version of what we did this year, I will be plenty rich enough.

Ecnerwal · Dec 16, 2014

You're as bad as your wife's "sorry to tell you..." with that title. Glad it all worked well and I'm happy to laugh WITH you!

Dave H (MI) · Dec 16, 2014

Thank you much! Where do you think she gets it from?!?

As an aside, I told my youngest that I was renting her seat next year. Putting out the word that you can ride in the buddy seat if you contribute gas money. At the museum of science and industry in Chicago there used to be a JD combine setup with a big screen in front of it simulating the picking of corn. A dozen years ago I sat in that simulator with the same little girl who rode with me yesterday. Life is funny.

John_PA · Dec 16, 2014

You stole my thunder!

I have been saying for years that I could fore-go taking any crop subsidies or disaster payments by investing in a concession stand and bleachers. The buddy seat would be the VIP box seating. I could even offer a golden pass VIP which would give someone the opportunity to operate the machine for a short amount of time with me in the buddy seat.

I have many people come just to watch me harvest, or bale hay. This past summer when the pipeline went through my farm, I had a whole construction crew stop working when I made the first pass with the chisel plow. Seeing that monster blow black smoke and tear up the ground even made the heavy equipment operators stop to watch.

I see an opportunity for profit! LOL

Dave H (MI) · Dec 16, 2014

You got that right. For 25 years I have gone out every Thursday to my various clients to drop off work and address their questions. Almost all questions these days are relevant to farming and what we are up to. There is a lot of interest so I have seriously considered offering the seat to whoever would chip in for fuel. A lot of folks out there are interested in the whole farming process. What used to take a couple hours every week now keeps me out most of the day.

tim(in) · Dec 18, 2014

Gene Logsdon wrote about one old farmer who had done corn the old fashioned way and the guy said the first time he ran a modern pick-sheller down the rows of corn he crieds tears of joy at the ease of it over cutting,shocking ,hauling,shucking the corn then grinding the ears of corn and running the stalks thru a shredder. I'm the happiest when picking corn on the ear and filling a crib myself.

Fatamus · Dec 18, 2014

"Uup" You sound hooked :wink: :wink:
Yep He's hooked!

Dave H (MI) · Dec 18, 2014

I intend to give that a try on a small scale one day. I can use ear corn. I have a flock of pet geese...huge friggin show quality geese. They eat corn off the ear. Slows them down a little to take it that way.

Dave H (MI) · Dec 18, 2014

No doubt about it.

CIH 1660 - Go ahead and laugh at me...

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