Corn and stuff

[paul]

The combine was set up for corn from last year, so I took out a few end rows and opened a field to make it easier to get around to some bean fields.

It was 23% moisture, higher than I’d want but pretty good for the first week of October here.

Now to get the ambition to switch the combine over to beans, which everyone is working on around here. I was in line at the elevator an hour and 7 minutes to get unloaded, was 9 semis in front of me. That’s depressing when I rarely see a line for beans, corn usually takes twice as long lines twice as long when we get into corn season. Oh boy.

Paul

 

[rrlund]

The first beans I saw cut was a week ago Tuesday south of Indianapolis when we were headed to Tennessee. I haven't seen any cut around here yet. I punched some holes in a couple of corn fields with the combine the day before yesterday so I can pick ear corn. I didn't check the moisture, but it sat overnight and wasn't even warm. I ran all of it through the grinder and it slid right out of the mixer. It's dry enough to crib for sure. We took the tractor and picker to the field this afternoon so I can start tomorrow.

 

[paul]

Water pump went out on the combine a couple days ago, that turned into a small fiasco but only needed time to get right.

Well the neighbors all filled the local coop in three days, no more room for beans, so now I need to haul them miles. And the second choice are down to limited room… Tractor and wagons here, as that local coop is less than a mile from me.

And, I managed to let the combine fuel tank run empty. That was an hour + fiasco all of my own doing. Have had trouble bleeding air out at times, but not -this- much trouble. Sigh.

See what today brings.

 

[rrlund]

I know exactly how you're feeling. It might not be a good idea for me to be left alone with a gun right now.

 

[Loosehandle]

I gave up and rented out land 3 years ago, it was a good decision. I was using wagons too, nobody uses wagons around here anymore only semis.

 

[paul]

As the coops consolidate it’s becoming a 3 semi minimum per farm, chase to the location in a 50 mile circle still taking the crop and moisture you have.

Lot of wagons here yet, but the tide is turning.

The old little elevator locations don’t pencil out any more, can’t afford to modernize them for their size and typically don’t have the room to expand them. One in town was just sold for $7k. Not worth anything.

But, we lose 500 - 750k of commercial storage here and there, it adds up, the semis end up filling what’s available.

Most operations have their own grain setup, some rival the local coops in size, but they still haul excess to the coops at a fast pace.

Paul

 

[rrlund]

As the coops consolidate it’s becoming a 3 semi minimum per farm, chase to the location in a 50 mile circle still taking the crop and moisture you have.

Lot of wagons here yet, but the tide is turning.

The old little elevator locations don’t pencil out any more, can’t afford to modernize them for their size and typically don’t have the room to expand them. One in town was just sold for $7k. Not worth anything.

But, we lose 500 - 750k of commercial storage here and there, it adds up, the semis end up filling what’s available.

Most operations have their own grain setup, some rival the local coops in size, but they still haul excess to the coops at a fast pace.

Paul

That's how it is here anymore. If you don't have on farm storage, you need a semi. The elevator here was built in the 50s, all steel. The had a big expansion in the mid 70s, several new bins, new leg, bigger new dryer. It was booming for few years then went through a series of farmer owners, each one letting things slide a little more. The place is an empty lot now. They took the bins down then cut everything else down with a torch and tipped it all over.

 

[paul]

The very local location coop has a feed mill. If it didn’t have that I think it would have closed years ago. They actually put a lot into it of late to improve it. Second scale and 3rd dump pit and a big bin. Upgraded the feed mill as well. It was last updated 25-30 years ago?

It’s a little odd layout now, trying to fit the new stuff around the old stuff. Best they could do.

They gained the new bin but lost the outdoor bunker, so gained very little actual storage. The plan is another big bin, but funds are always short. It’s in the plans I guess. Just like me, big plans, short on ability.

Paul