combining difference

I've been watching some of the videos of combining after swathing. Here in S.E.Ohio we combine our wheat and oats from their standing position. We don't swath them then later combine them. Just wondering the reason for swathing before combining. I know there has to be a good reason. Keith

Swathing allows for more uniform drying of the crop, eliminates those 'greenies' in the bin. Ben

The grain is dryier and much cleaner thrashes better and less grain damage will also store better

Thanks guys, that's what I wanted to find out. Like I said, I knew there had to be a reason. Keith

Swathing of cereal crops is most commonly done in Canada and the far north US where the growing season is short. The grain is typically swathed in the late dough stage and then dries down faster than it would if left standing. Over the past 15-20 years there is a trend towards more direct cutting of cereal grains in Canada as varieties improve but most canola is still swathed.

Alberta and Saskatchewan are usually state/province #1 and #2, respectively, in all of North America for industry sales of windrowers (more than even the major hay-growing states like Idaho and California) so swathing is big business there.

Also allows you to thrash weedy fields, if everything is dried down. Great comments below.

Besides the dry down factor there is also harvesting width. I know od some fellow that have 30 foot swathers that drop off the ends. So you can lay two swaths side by side making 60 foot of grain in one pass.

Keith, we are in opposite corners of the state, northwest Ohio. Nobody swaths here. Years ar on red clover it was popular but in doing that I saw all the seed we were losing and was able to talk Dad into direct cutting, yeald was way higher direct cutting, just had to dry on flat bed wagon for a week or sow. Only put in to a depth of about 4" and twice a day would go out with the scoop shovel and move it around. Have done that on concrete floor as well but wood wagon was better. Big time operator neighbor thought he was going to be smart do that to his wheat crop to get earlier start to double cropping soybeans. He lost his but on that. As soon as he had in swath the rains came and came and came, the wheat sprouted in the swath and was unharvestable. That is the last time I have ever heard or seen of seed or grain being put in a swath. Only thing in a swath is hay and those machines are not swathers as they have conditioning units on them that a swather does not. The only swather I ever saw and I am 73 was the unit that you put on the bar of a bar mowerjust slid the crop into a row and they were only used for grass seed. Never saw one mounted let alone used. No red clover raised anymore but it used to be main hay crop for all dairy farms, no alfalfa, and swathing it for the seed went out 60 years ago.

Helped a friend with wheat and canola harvest in eastern Washington about 20 years ago. They always direct cut wheat- nobody even owns a swather. But if you leave canola standing until it is dry enough to harvest, you lose most of the crop because the seed pods shatter (and send the seed flying) when the combine reel hits the plant. So my friend bought a self propelled swather, and did custom swathing of canola all over the area for several years.

Back when we had dry years straight cutting worked great. Yes, you have seen plenty of swathing in my videos for all the reasons stated. Dessicating is taking over now to get rid of the green in the crop and it works well but are the consumers always going to be ok eating a product that has had glyphosate sprayed on it so close to harvest? I'm not.
Here is a video of me double swathing flax. When it works , it works well. When it doesn't, I swear never to do it again. Picking up 42 feet per round really cuts down the mileage on the combine.
Double Swath Flax