When to harvest my corn with my corn picker?

ryanwheelock · Oct 4, 2010

Wondering what is the best time to harvest my 1st crop of corn. Using a 2 row corn picker. Only have a few arces to do but wonder what a few easy ways would be to tell when its ready. Still MAD because the darn black birds got 40-50% of EVERY cob. Just looking for a few pointers.
Thanks again
Ryan in northern Michigan

rustyfarmall · Oct 4, 2010

(quoted from post at 07:33:29 10/04/10) Wondering what is the best time to harvest my 1st crop of corn. Using a 2 row corn picker. Only have a few arces to do but wonder what a few easy ways would be to tell when its ready. Still MAD because the darn black birds got 40-50% of EVERY cob. Just looking for a few pointers.
Thanks again
Ryan in northern Michigan

My dad used to walk through the field, and pick off 10 ears of corn. Throw those 10 ears in the livestock watering tank, and if seven of those ten ears floated, the corn was dry enough to pick and store in the corn crib. It must have been a pretty accurate method, because we never had any corn spoil in the crib.

Mike (WA) · Oct 4, 2010

Since the birds got half the kernels on Ryan's corn, I wonder if he'd get a "false reading"?

Sounds like my neighbor's method of seeing if hay was dry enough to bale- grab a good handfull, grasp with two hands about two inches apart, make like bicycle pedals with your hands, and if the sheaf breaks on or before the 6th "revolution", its ready.

Nebraska Cowman · Oct 4, 2010

What kind of birds are those? Black birds? You wouldn't be pulling my leg would you? I have no idea how dry your corn is. i shell some off and eat it and can tell within a point or two. maybe you need to shell some and take it to the elevator or a farmer with a tester. Maybe some of the oldtimers know what keeps in a crib? 18 -20%? Oh wait, I AM one of the oldtimers.

Phil in Pa · Oct 4, 2010

You have to let the moisture content get below a certain point. I don't what that is, better ask one of your local farmers, since these people here seem to be more amused jerking your chain than actually being helpful.

rustyfarmall · Oct 4, 2010

(quoted from post at 14:42:31 10/04/10) You have to let the moisture content get below a certain point. I don't what that is, better ask one of your local farmers, since these people here seem to be more amused jerking your chain than actually being helpful.

Jerking his chain?? How do you think the farmers did it BEFORE the invention of the electronic moisture tester? Those old time methods DO still work today!!

Phil in Pa · Oct 4, 2010

A good sharp scythe works well, too.

But I'll use the riding mower just the same.

rustyfarmall · Oct 4, 2010

(quoted from post at 13:47:13 10/04/10) What kind of birds are those? Black birds? You wouldn't be pulling my leg would you? I have no idea how dry your corn is. i shell some off and eat it and can tell within a point or two. maybe you need to shell some and take it to the elevator or a farmer with a tester. Maybe some of the oldtimers know what keeps in a crib? 18 -20%? Oh wait, I AM one of the oldtimers.

We always figured 15% moisture to keep in a crib. Up to 18% was O.K. only if the corn would be all used before warm weather. The higher moisture corn DID cause problems with caking up in the self feeders.

IaGary · Oct 4, 2010

Mostly depends on how you are storing the corn.

If in a crib with spaces between the wood that is narrower than 9 foot it will keep at 20%.

Solid wall crib, grannery or round steel wall bin it better be down to 15%.

We had a spaced wood, 7 foot wide crib that never spoiled at 22%.

In a steel wagon, corn better be under 17%. In a wood wagon about 18% unless it is less than 4 foot deep in a wagon then it could be wetter.

Get the idea yet on depending on how you are storing?

Gary

Nebraska Cowman · Oct 4, 2010

The blackbird thing is an old joke. I wasn't jerking
his chain.

Anonymous-0 · Oct 4, 2010

We have NEVER raised corn for picking. Used to silage some, but an old neighbor used to pick all the time. Seems like he said something about putting some ears in a bucket of water and if they floated it was dry enough. Guess he WAS serious!

Paul from MI · Oct 4, 2010

I've picked and stored on a flat bed wagon at 22% and never had any spoilage. It won't dry much on the wagon even with good air flow over it. Probably needs to be quite a bit dryer on a gravity wagon, and could be even wetter if it's going into a fairly narrow crib. None of our cribs was over 5' wide and we never had a problem. If yours is like most old pickers sshelling on the butt of the ear is a problem, especially if the corn is really dry. Kind of a balancing act.

When to harvest my corn with my corn picker?

ryanwheelock

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rustyfarmall

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Mike (WA)

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Nebraska Cowman

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Phil in Pa

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rustyfarmall

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Phil in Pa

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IaGary

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Nebraska Cowman

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