It's Harvest Time - Corn Report

Handfuls of Gold

See the dents in the
kernels? One sign the corn
is ready for harvest. 

I always think corn looks like gold. Which maybe is a little true because those kernels are worth a pretty penny. As I made my trip northeast this weekend it was fun to see which fields had been harvested and which were a long ways away.

The Boy's family is one of those that aren't quite in full swing. Remember when we talked about the milk line? Well right now there is still too much moisture in the corn. So there are two options 1. Wait for the corn to mature more and dry on the stalk - downfall is that some family's have contracts they have to fill so they need to get the corn harvested or 2. Harvest the corn and then use dryers and fans to bring the moisture down - this can be expensive because of the cost to fuel needed for the dryers.

I learned all this hanging out at the elevator this weekend.

I also am now an expert at moisture testing corn. You could easily become an expert, too. 

First the trucks haul the corn from the field to the elevator. The trucks weight in when they arrive and when they leave to help calculate the bushels of corn. 

The truck then drives into this covered shed. I forgot to ask the technical term so we are going with open ended covered shed.

The corn is then dumped in this hole (more technical terms). From here the corn will move to the dryer or to storage.

Then in one quick scoop you stick a coffee can in that stream of corn to collect a sample. 

This is the corn moisture testing machine. A sample of corn is placed in the holder. Then you press the button that says A. I'm a pro at this part. 

And boom it gives you a number. This corn is at 26.1% moisture, which is way too high for storage, so they'll have to dry this corn. We want the corn to be dried down to 15% moisture. That way it won't mold.

That big truck that came in had about 860 bushels on corn in it, and when that corn is dried down we'll be left with about 710 bushels. The future father in law did some math for me and with corn being worth about $6 right now the corn in that truck is worth about $5,000! 

And since yesterday we talked about what fashion apparel you where to a cattle sale, this is what you where at the elevator. Purple Polo hat because K-State is awesome and they beat Miami, a warm jacket because it is getting cold - yeah for fall, my new favorite scarf from Southern Jewlz, and my favorite accessory - the Boy! Happy harvesting.

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