A sign that progress, be it slow progress, is being made here on the farm towards starting corn harvest. I fulfilled my prediction and did get the combine out, head on, washed and shelled a hopper full of corn today!!!
Moisture was 18.7 on the corn planted on 13 May. I planted two different numbers on that day, and one was running 20 to 20.5. I took out some of the end rows so I could get a good sample from the field to see just what I was looking at moisture and yield wise. The yield was about 145 bu/ac dry corn. Not bad, not great, but for a year like this, I will take it all at that yield and not complain a bit.
So after all the excitement today, we sit idle for a few days. First off, still working on getting the grain bins rewired and then we need to sit the fans back on the bins. This has been a long overdue task. Making things safer is a priority. Making things safer and also more efficient is also a priority. So even if I started shelling tomorrow, I can’t put it anywhere until that job is done.
Second, the grain truck is in the shop. Carb kit going on. Just before I went to get it inspected, I found fuel puking out and around various bolts and screws. Yep, the gaskets dried out. Note to self…next grain truck will be a diesel. Note to self…there won’t be a next truck……see paragraph below. So even if the bins were ready, I have no way to get it from point A to point B.
In dealing with the grain truck and attempting to find and trade for a bushhog (or rotary chopper for some of you folks) I am reminded of the words of a wiser farmer than I: Grain trucks and mowers are not profit centers, they are money pits. (or something close to that) After thinking that a bigger truck, diesel truck, with air conditioning, roll tarp and cargo doors would be the berries, I decided that it would be much easier to just build a big grain bin and pay Ty Jones, the local trucker I prefer to use, to just come and load and haul it all out of that big bin. Between inspections, tires, insurance, gas or fuel, repairs and the possibility of overweight tickets (not to mention all the other assorted stuff that ISP and ISOS get all excited about checking a grain truck for when they pull it over) it just isn’t a money making piece of equipment.
And I didn’t even mention the amount of time sitting behind the wheel, not to mention the amount of time sitting in LINE waiting for the grain to be weighed and graded, let alone dumped. Yes, you need a truck. But I don’t want to have one or be in one, on the road anymore.
So by the end of the week, gain bins should be done, fans on, grain truck ready, combine ready. and corn harvest can commence.
