Grain Bushel Weight

rusty6 · Sep 30, 2020

Commented a while back about the bushel weight of my grain. I made a video showing how I measure and calculate the bushel weight for oats and weight. Apparently I've been doing it wrong though. Checked the Canadian grain commission site where they show the proper method. The way I do it with a roller will actually pack the grain in the cup and make the sample a little heavier. The scraping method is supposed to be more accurate as it does not pack the grain. I'll keep using my method though as I"ve been using it for years and recording each year's weight. Changing methods now would just confuse me.
Bushel weight

David G · Sep 30, 2020

I have always scraped.

jal-SD · Sep 30, 2020

When you were getting the wheat sample ready, did I happen to see the Merc's nose hiding around the corner?

rusty6 · Sep 30, 2020

(quoted from post at 19:54:12 09/30/20) When you were getting the wheat sample ready, did I happen to see the Merc's nose hiding around the corner?

Yes you did.

Steve A W · Sep 30, 2020

Have you compared the difference?

rusty6 · Sep 30, 2020

(quoted from post at 21:29:25 09/30/20) Have you compared the difference?

No, but just out of curiosity i am planning to try both methods and see if there is much (if any) difference.

jamstra · Oct 1, 2020

Here in Scotland the 'gold standard' for oats is/was 42lbs per bushel, at 14% moisture (moisture being important, since dry grain is heavier than wet (per bushel). Never saw it being measured in a 'teacup' before, every farm had one of these somewhere around the grain loft - a full size bushel measure, in which the grain was levelled off by a 'strake' - a wooden straight edge - never a roller which would pack the grain and thus falsify the weight. Jim

Bruce from Can. · Oct 1, 2020

Your method is probably about as accurate as a yield monitor on a combine. Our Co-op elevator doesn’t pack the sample like that, and it’s certified scale under the Federal weights and measures.

Richard G. · Oct 1, 2020

The hundreds of thousands of grain samples we did at Clemson when I was there always used the scraper method.
Richard in NW SC

rusty6 · Oct 1, 2020

(quoted from post at 01:46:04 10/01/20) Here in Scotland the 'gold standard' for oats is/was 42lbs per bushel, at 14% moisture (moisture being important, since dry grain is heavier than wet (per bushel). Never saw it being measured in a 'teacup' before, every farm had one of these somewhere around the grain loft - a full size bushel measure,

Jim, I actually do have one of those rusty old half bushel measures from my grandfathers era that I could try. Its big and heavy to handle compared to this half litre cup which seems to be the industry approved method now.
As far as I can recall oats was always considered to have 34 pounds in a bushel but nowadays that seems to be considered light.
https://www.rayglen.com/crop-bushel-weights/#:~:text=Crop%20Bushel%20Weights%20%20%20%20Commodity%20,%20%2039.368%20%2017%20more%20rows%20

1948CaseVAI · Oct 1, 2020

If my dad had caught me packing the grain in the cup like that I would still have the scars.

BarnyardEngineering · Oct 1, 2020

I'll keep using my method though as I"ve been using it for years and recording each year's weight. Changing methods now would just confuse me.

The numbers are really only useful to you, so how you go about getting them is irrelevant, as long as it is CONSISTENT.

As you said, changing methods would likely just end up being confusing. "Why the heck all of a sudden from 2020 on are my weights way down... Oh wait, that's when I quit packing the grain in the cup... Dang it, I wish I never changed."

rusty6 · Oct 1, 2020

(quoted from post at 07:38:20 10/01/20)

I agree.
Just received the official test results from the CGC and they came up with a bushel weight of 43.6 pound on a cleaned sample. My test showed 44 uncleaned so possibly a pound difference on a bushel.

Click to expand...

Crazy Horse · Oct 1, 2020

'48 ..... your Paw must have had a pretty short fuse. I know you are exaggerating a bit in your reply but scars from packing grain in the cup? Good thing you didn't do much real bad stuff or you wouldn't be posting today ..... LOL !!!

1948CaseVAI · Oct 1, 2020

(quoted from post at 11:40:49 10/01/20) '48 ..... your Paw must have had a pretty short fuse. I know you are exaggerating a bit in your reply but scars from packing grain in the cup? Good thing you didn't do much real bad stuff or you wouldn't be posting today ..... LOL !!!

Prolly wouldn't really have scars, but I did terrible stuff as a kid which is why I was quite successful in my career.

rusty6 · Oct 1, 2020

Took a few minutes to find my grandfather's half bushel measure but here it is.

Tom OConnor · Oct 1, 2020

I will guarantee you that the grain company will flat strike the sample when they grade it at the scale. I had some 65 pound test weight wheat several years ago that cought a lot of attention at the elevator. They even sent me a letter commenting on it as their highest test weight wheat delivered. You only needed to fill a hopper bottom trailer about two thirds full to have it still be legal.

jamstra · Oct 1, 2020

Is that made of tin? I guess the Scottish ones were nearly all wooden because of the abundance of 'coopers' (barrel makers) around, serving the whisky industry! Jim

rusty6 · Oct 1, 2020

(quoted from post at 14:12:53 10/01/20) Is that made of tin? I guess the Scottish ones were nearly all wooden because of the abundance of 'coopers' (barrel makers) around, serving the whisky industry! Jim

Yes, thin rusty tin is all this half bushel measure is made of. I don't know if wood last any longer but maybe if kept indoors.

jamstra · Oct 2, 2020

A wooden one, properly crafted from barrel staves as most were, would last for ever if kept indoors - just like whisky barrels!

Grain Bushel Weight

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