Harvest debate

[infire]

So how do you decide when to begin harvesting corn? Does it make sense to shell it at 25% on Sept. 1st. or wait till Oct. 1st. when we are more often than not beginning harvest & it may be 15%. Alot to consider weather, stalk rot, LP prices, ETC. no right or wrong answer until after the fact of course but I'm curious how you make the decision to hit it.

[dapper7]

i think starting at 25% and air drying makes alot of sense. with this heat and airflow corn will dry down faster than in the field and your harvest losses are less. combining 15 percent corn is nice but the losses negate alot of the benefit. mho. d7

[Mike M2692830]

25% is a tad high for Sept 1st although we were happy to have that most of last fall. I would sooner harvest corn  in the 17-20% range. Dryer corn for air dry systems. Some wetter corn to justify some drying that will go a feed mill that needs it a 15%. Seems to be a lot of kernel loss when it gets to dry in the field, no matter what head ones uses...MikeM

[aaron4020]

Depends on your own conditions of course but for me that is an easy decision. 25% corn will make me more money although I'd rather stay in the 18-22% range. Looks like I could have half my corn out here before I start beans.

Aaron

[buckfarmer]

I think we should be able to air dry a lot this year.

[infire]

I think I could run some fairly dry corn if it wasn't for the spots where I replanted in thin areas, they are scattered all over the fields.