All corn not harvested in the midwest

37 chief · Dec 12, 2009

I saw on the news tonight, a lot of corn is not harvested because of the snow. Is there a chance it will still be harvested next year, or is it a loss? Stan

Bill(Wis) · Dec 12, 2009

I wish I could post a picture of combining in January of 2009 in a foot of snow. Combines, tractors with grain carts, acted like it wasn't even there. Trucks waited on road.

Anonymous-0 · Dec 13, 2009

It is a little different this time then it was last Jan.

At least around here a foot of snow over non frozen mud is not passable for combines. They will just sink right in.....moreover we had a blizzard with the foot of snow that came here. That kind of wind really did a number on knocking down the corn. It will be very difficult to harvest and is likely a near total loss. Estimates here are about $500 million worth of corn left in the fiels and likely unrecoverable.

JMS/.MN · Dec 13, 2009

Locally, what is left is because of storage capacity- my renter has about 10 percent left to harvest, and is waiting to move corn, but local buyers are not taking spot corn, or contracting for the next two weeks. Extra good yield taxes his storage, but he lost about 40% of his acreage for next year, so building more bins is not in his plan. Other neighbors are in the same boat- waiting for storage capacity. Buyers are open half days, not every day.

kcoers · Dec 13, 2009

Our tenants haven't touched theirs at our place yet, i sure hope for them it freezes soon or it will be a definite loss for them. 300 acres of half standing corn doesn't look good all by its lonesome. But....... the deer love it!

tomNE · Dec 13, 2009

I've seen corn stand thru the winter for yrs. the doomsday people might help drive the price up!

1936 · Dec 13, 2009

East central Illinois the elevators put the corn on the ground-huge piles. Walked across a field that was picked on 11/20 and a lot of dropped ears-deers will winter well this year. I watch it picked and speed of the operator was out of sight. Must shatter ears with machine for the large number of drops.

Mold is going to be a big factor.

Reading up to 2000 gal of LP used a day on farms for corn drying.

Learned the biggest 4WD JD on the market used 30 gal per hour. 2.20 x 30 x 8 hrs is 528 bucks per short day for 30 days is $15840.00. Is the GPH correct????

fixerupper · Dec 13, 2009

Thirty gallons sounds a bit high but who knows? I've driven their biggest tractor and I know they use a lot of fuel but I never kept track. If there's a digital GPH readout in the cab I'm too computer-illiterate to know how to get it up on the screen.

Twenty GPH is vey realistic. We look at the gallons-per-hour and our jaws drop but if we figure the amount of fuel used per acre and it's probably better than the old days.

A combine can cause ear loss by going too fast in downed corn, making the stalk whip and throw the ear off as the stalk is picked up off the ground by snouts. If the ears aren't fastened to the stalk very well and the operator of the combine isn't driving straight while he's going fast, the ears can be flung off the stalks before the corn head has a chance to capture them. If the ear is well attached to the stalk, as is the case with most BT corns today, the speed of the combine shouldn't have an affect on ear loss.

I would think today's BT corn that's resistant to stalk rot should be able to stand in snow better than the hybrids we had years ago.Gotta go. Granddaughter's Christmas program. Jim

Anonymous-0 · Dec 13, 2009

I remember some 20+ years ago we had the same problem. Then we had a january thaw and the remaining corn got picked in late january and february. Tthe majority of the corn still got picked back then.

Areo

MSD · Dec 13, 2009

A guy I know said one year he was combiing corn in one field while the boys were planting it in another. Says he has pictures.

Fordfarmer · Dec 13, 2009

I've only taken 4 loads out - still too wet, just doesn't want to dry down. Snow isn't a factor for me yet- the worst of last week's storm went south of us. I've let it stand until spring once, seen neighbors do it when they had to... it works, but deer do a number on it.

bradley martin · Dec 13, 2009

Ag officials here in Ontario say expect losses of 5% to 35 % if corn is left out all winter, Could be more if it a lot of it goes down. Nonetheless, some people here intentionally leave corn out overwinter frequently, either to avoid drying costs, lack of storage, or not big enough equipment. A few years ago, I had some corn on riverflats that we couldn't get out. Tried again in February but the neighbor's big 4 wheel drive Deere couln"t pull 200 bu in the buggy up the hill. Finally did it in May!! I would guess the loss was likely 15%, but no drying cost.

Dutchman · Dec 13, 2009

I heard of Tv last nite too that in Iowa there is over 8000 acres in the field yet ...
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they talk to a farmer and he said it has to get COLD now so it will hold the equipment up out of the mud ..everday he is losing corn... if it's not dropping the DEER are eating it ...

It's been one of those YEARS ... Mark

Aaron SEIA · Dec 13, 2009

There is more than 8000 acres left. The USDA claims 12% unharested total, 6% of Iowa for 800,000 acres. 12% of the 13 billion bushel crop is 1.56 billion bushels still standing. Losses could range from 5 to over 50% depending on the weather and how much longer it has to stand out there. No fun at all. My dad still has 140 acres out, I've heard of a few guys having more than that. Been a long year from day 1.
AaronSEIA

All corn not harvested in the midwest

37 chief

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Bill(Wis)

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Anonymous-0

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JMS/.MN

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kcoers

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tomNE

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1936

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fixerupper

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Anonymous-0

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MSD

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Fordfarmer

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bradley martin

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Dutchman

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Aaron SEIA

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