popcorn and shellers

[Farmerwright97]

we started growing and selling popcorn last year and we started with 2 acres, this year we have 5 acres, and we are picking it with a new idea picker behind my great grandfathers moline U. the problem we have is on the shelling side of things, last year we used an old hand sheller, but I want to upgrade this year. what is a good sheller to be on the lookout for? not looking for something huge just something that will speed up the process and not damage the kernels, I'd appreciate any advice thank you

 

[RedMF40]

we started growing and selling popcorn last year and we started with 2 acres, this year we have 5 acres, and we are picking it with a new idea picker behind my great grandfathers moline U. the problem we have is on the shelling side of things, last year we used an old hand sheller, but I want to upgrade this year. what is a good sheller to be on the lookout for? not looking for something huge just something that will speed up the process and not damage the kernels, I'd appreciate any advice thank you

No help with the sheller but for selling the popcorn, I see it on the ear at the local farmer's market and many people like buying it that way. It's attractive to display and easy to get the kernels off. I'm not suggesting you sell it ALL like that, but it may be an option.

 

[Fixingfarmer]

I am actually kind of in the same boat we have a international hand sheller that had an electric motor. We have enough now what I was going to do is clean out set the combine for popcorn go 100 feet and cleanout again and then pick it. Talk nice to someone with a combine they all have a setting for it and if they are picking corn there isn’t anything mechanical that needs changed for the amount you are talking. If it was all going to be sold commercially you might need some different pieces but if people love getting the local popcorn right from the stand they aren’t going to worry about old maids.

If you want to use your picker I think they make a sheller attachment but weather it’s suitable for popcorn??? In my opinion they were barely suitable for field corn nowadays we had some come into the coop that they would have rejected if it wasn’t the right person I can still hear the whining from the employee wondering where on earth he’s going to stick that. I always thought that was strange because my hand one shells beautifully albeit the fan doesn’t work so an electric leaf blower on low to get the cross wind as it drops into the pail...

 

[db4600]

No help with the sheller but for selling the popcorn, I see it on the ear at the local farmer's market and many people like buying it that way. It's attractive to display and easy to get the kernels off. I'm not suggesting you sell it ALL like that, but it may be an option.

These examples come to mind. We had a David Bradley of similar design. Possibly some other short-line manufacturers

 

[Wheat47]

I have my dad's #30 sheller. I manage to find a garbage can full of ear corn every year, then I shell it at out threshing bee.

 

[Farmerwright97]

I am actually kind of in the same boat we have a international hand sheller that had an electric motor. We have enough now what I was going to do is clean out set the combine for popcorn go 100 feet and cleanout again and then pick it. Talk nice to someone with a combine they all have a setting for it and if they are picking corn there isn’t anything mechanical that needs changed for the amount you are talking. If it was all going to be sold commercially you might need some different pieces but if people love getting the local popcorn right from the stand they aren’t going to worry about old maids.

If you want to use your picker I think they make a sheller attachment but weather it’s suitable for popcorn??? In my opinion they were barely suitable for field corn nowadays we had some come into the coop that they would have rejected if it wasn’t the right person I can still hear the whining from the employee wondering where on earth he’s going to stick that. I always thought that was strange because my hand one shells beautifully albeit the fan doesn’t work so an electric leaf blower on low to get the cross wind as it drops into the pail...

we thought about using our combine but don't want the headache of cleaning it with the different color popcorn we have, seems like those sheller attachments are getting hard to find and like to crack the corn, I found a moline D sheller for cheap so I'm hoping that that will help, seems like the hand shellers do a great job it's just very slow