Harvesting grain

Rob30 · #1 09/02/12, 08:24 PM

How do you tell if your grain field is ready for harvest? I have planted grain for the last few years. Last year I was late harvesting the grain and I think my yield was affected by it.
I have a mixed grain field of Barley oats and peas.

FarmboyBill · #2 09/02/12, 08:46 PM

I would think that the oats OR wheat would be ready somewhat before the other, and both would be ready before the peas. How to tell on the oats and wheat, is to take a couple heads, and put them between the palms of your hand and grind them together. IF the sed comes out clean from the head, its ready. IF some of it dont hafter grinding it say 8 times, Its not ready. Not knowing what kind of peas you have, I cant help you much in determining when there ready.

farminghandyman · #3 09/03/12, 08:21 PM

when you thresh the grain out of the heads (like stated above) and you chew on it and it is hard, almost concerned about your teeth hard, it is dry, (oats will be softer than wheat)

RonM · #4 09/03/12, 08:34 PM

I would never plant them together as a mix as they all cure at different times and used seperately......

Rob30 · #5 09/04/12, 07:53 AM

I did not plant wheat and oats together. I planted oats, barley and peas. This is a common mix in our are since the oats does well in the wetter areas and barley is more prolific in the drier areas. We have used this mix often but I have historically had someone else combine the fields. Last year I boughts an older combine and used it on an over mature field of oats, so I was not concerned with if it was ready or not yet.
The barley generally does mature a little sooner than the oats, but they produce better together in our are thn on their own.

farminghandyman · #6 09/04/12, 07:17 PM

OK I said wheat insted of barley,

make sure it is dry, usaly under 13 percent, moisture content, is all I am saying or it will mold when stored,

if you think it is ready cut a sample (pull into the field and cut 100 feet and pull out) and take a quart of it to town, a grain dealer, and have them test it for moisture,

when it comes to a chew test, for example, get some raw pop corn, beans, or rice, or other whole grain you may have in your houes and chew it and see what it is like when it is DRY,

fantasymaker · #7 09/06/12, 10:30 PM

I usually harvest a mix like that when something is hungry....with whatever is hungry!