Harvest prep includes taking stock of fields

The first few days of August brought cooler temperatures across the Midwest — a brief respite from the heat that also made farmers think of fall and the harvest that is getting closer.

University of Missouri ag engineer Jim Crawford says farmers in his northwest Missouri area are planning for harvest even as fields remain green.

“Harvest is right around the corner,” he says.

The final weeks before harvest begins are a good time to check over machinery and facilities to make sure everything is ready to go, Crawford says. Farmers can check the basics on combines, such as tires and oil, but also check concaves and sensors. He says checking for any worn parts or loose bearings can save time later.

“Once harvest starts, we want to be rolling,” Crawford says.

In addition to the combines themselves, he says other machinery deserves a look-over.

“We can be looking at our grain handling,” Crawford says. “A lot of times, we don’t think about the grain wagon till harvest.”

He says augers for unloading into grain bins can also be taken for granted, but they often sit outside all year round and can be checked before busy harvest time begins. Issues with augers can be inconvenient once the crops start coming out of fields.

“They can use a grease gun and a quick checking over,” Crawford says.

He says farmers might want to inspect bearings on augers, in particular. Farmers can also check grain bin machinery.

“If you haven’t run that bin fan for a while, you might want to turn that on and let it run for a while,” Crawford says.

Iowa State University agronomist Meaghan Anderson says the late-summer weeks ahead of harvest are also a good time to scout fields and identify the main disease and weed issues and how much of an impact they had.

“Evaluating disease pressure across different fields is really helpful, especially as we get through the latter part of August,” she says. “That’s a fantastic time to go out and evaluate.”

Crawford serves as director of MU’s Graves-Chapple Extension and Education Center near Rock Port.

He says crops look good in his area and farmers are expecting big yields. He says it is a good idea to think about storage and grain-moving logistics ahead of harvest.

“If you think you’re going to run a little short of storage, there are games you can play,” Crawford says.

This might mean taking the first loads of harvest to grain elevators before they get too busy, and filling up grain storage space at home once harvest gets in full swing and some elevators see long lines. He says some grain elevators offer wet corn contracts, which can minimize the moisture dock.

Crawford says farmers also have to think about the cost of grain storage and their cash flow needs.

“It all comes down to marketing, how you want to do it,” he says. “There are a lot of considerations that come into it, it just depends on your situation. Every farm is different.”

Farmers can also look into some temporary grain storage options. Crawford says farmers can pile grain in a machine shed or other building as flat storage, and he says some have used a ring of concrete highway barriers to hold the grain.

Some opt to store grain in bags. Crawford says several people in his area have done this as a temporary storage option, although he cautions they can be more susceptible to wildlife damage.

For both options, he says grain vacs have made it much easier to empty out grain stored in piles or in bags.

Whatever options farmers use, the main thing is to plan ahead, Crawford says.

“Think about, ‘Am I going to have a huge crop this year?’” he says. “’How’s my storage looking?’”

Crawford says farmers can also think about any field work they will be doing in the fall — planting cover crops, fall tillage or working on terraces — and make sure that equipment is ready.

“Usually we’ve got a little bit more time now than in the fall,” he says. “It’s a good time to think ahead.”

As the crops make their final push toward harvest time, Crawford says he is optimistic there will be some good yields ahead after a summer of timely rains.

“The crops look great,” he says. “Everyone thinks we’re going to have a big crop.”