2022.01.16 Rust Pic

Cameco Cane Harvester (yes, there's rust on the machine! *lol*)
Puzzles:
https://jigex.com/fQ9AB
https://jigex.com/7GCCm

Will somebody explain to me how harvesting cane works as I'm from Iowa. No cane grown in or near Iowa. Thanks Gerald

Here's a couple of videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ow9c_hyNPOo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cRGzEyCSBE

Gerald that would take all day since they use several ways to harvest cane depending on what they are using it for.

But lest stick with this Green Harvester in the picture.
Green as in fresh cane; not burned down.

Around here cane is planted in August and harvested from Sept to January all though they try to finish by Christmas.
They get 3 cuttings on a 4 year rotation from one planting.
So the field lays fallow from Sept to the next August 1 year out of 4.
They use this time to chisel plow; clean ditches; laser level; and control weeds.
The field is laser leveled for drainage of 60+ inches of rain as we can not use tile.
To close to the water table.

The rows of cane are 6 feet apart.
That machine cuts 1 row at a time.
It is on tracks because when they start cutting they do not stop rain or shine.
Some big plantations even harvest 24/7.

If you look at the machine it has 2 small rollers. 1 on each side.
This is to push any pieces of the row next to the one being cut out the way.
From there it works the same as ear corn combine.
The big rollers stand the cane up and feed it into the machine.
That piece stuck out front up high cuts the top off cane as it is mostly leaves.
The machine separates the leaves from the cane and the leaves go out the back.
It also cuts the cane in pieces about as big as a corn cob.
The cane runs up the conveyer to a side dump trailer running along side the harvester.

Like I said if you can picture a 1 row ear corn picker you got the concept of how this machine works.

The side dump trailer being pulled by a tractor goes to a central landing spot where it loads a side dump tractor trailer.
They take it to a local mill that crushes the cane and boils down the liquid.

That's how I figured the machine worked. I didn't know about the time of year for harvesting or the 24/7 hours of operation. I'm guessing the ground is or can be wet because of the tracks on the harvester. Thanks for explaining Gerald

Is this basically the same system used in Florida ? I've seen the fields in western Colombia SA where they grow year around and need less machinery because it is not seasonal. They are growing for fuel and sugar and load big wagons in the field and hook 5-8 together to haul to the plant. Just like in FL Govt. lets 2-3 families run -own everything.