Proper COLUMBUS, Ohio The time and energy put forth in crop production should also be spent in grain storage. Im proper grain storage can quickly shrivel a producer’s investment into a lump of change. Randall Reeder, an Ohio State University Extension ag ricultural engineer, said that with com harvest nearing, growers should be reviewing the proper management tech niques of storing grain. “It is a wise investment of time to spend a few hours to maintain the $20,000 to $40,000 value of grain stored in a 10,000-bushel bin,” said Reeder. Grain stores best when it is dry, clean and cool, and free of insects, diseases and debris. “Weed seeds and fine foreign material, which are usually CLASSIFIED INFORMATION (But We’ll Share It With You Anyway) I a Krause Disc * Harrows Are ■I Available From KRAUSE 18’ to 34’ Call Hooter Today for All Your Krause Tillage Needs Grain Storage Means Good Quality wetter than the grain, will ac cumulate in the center when loaded into a bin, causing storage problems,” said Reed er. “This material should be removed from the grain.” Reeder recommends the fol lowing steps in preparing a bin for storage to ensure quali ty grain: • Repair any holes that may allow water to enter. Look for holes by looking for sunlight coming into the bin. However, do not seal openings intended for aeration. • Aeration should be used to cool the grain whenever outdoor temperatures are 10 degrees to IS degrees cooler than the grain. The grain should be cooled to a tempera ture of about 20 degrees to 30 degrees in Ohio for winter storage. The time required to cool grain weighing 56 to 60 pounds per bushel using aera tion can be estimated by divid ing 15 by the airflow rate, said Reeder. “For example, the grain will cool in about 75 hours using an airflow rate of 0.2 cubic feet per minute per bushel,” he said. “Air takes the path of least resistance, so cooling times will vary in the storage. Measure grain tem perature at several locations to assure that all the grain has been cooled.” • Clean the inside of the bin using brooms and/or a vacuum. • Examine the inside of aeration ducts for debris and insects. • Temperature plays an important role in grain stor age. The optimum tempera ture for insects is between 70 degrees and 90 degrees Fahr enheit. Cooling below 70 de- KRAUSE NOW OFFERS *| AGRONOMIC CLASSES OF DISC HARROWS TO HELP MANAGE YOUR LAND • Taking this agronomic approach allows farmers to choose the disc harrow to match his operation and reach his goals, • Krause offers disc harrows in 3 agronomic classes to size and incorporate residue, improve soil tilth and provide quick er soil warm-up in the spring - all key factors in maximizing yield potential. CLASS I Seed Bed Finishing (Models - 7300 Series, 2200 Series) • 100-140 Lbs. per Blade ~ 22" Blades • Moderate crop residue management • High speed tillage/leveling CLAS* .. All-Purpose (Models - 7400 Series, 4995) • 140-210 Lbs. per Blade ~ 22" or 24" Blades • Primary tillage or seed bed finishing • Heavy crop residue management CLASS 111 Primary Tillage (Models - 2400 Series) • 210-250 Lbs. per Blade ~ 24" or 26" Blades • Primary tillage / extreme conditions • Heavy crop residue management Lancaster Farming, Saturday, October’lB, 2003, Corn Talk-E23 grees reduces insect reproduc tion and feeding activity, and cooling below 50 degrees causes the insects to become dormant. The optimum tem perature for mold growth is also about 80 degrees Fahren heit. Mold growth is extremely slow below about 30 or 40 de grees. The expected grain al lowable storage time is ap proximately doubled for each 10 degrees that the grain is cooled. • Service the aeration ducts, fans and vents to en sure proper operation. Reeder said to look for indications of problems such as condensa tion on the roof or crusting of the grain surface. Most stor age problems can be con trolled during the winter by cooling the grain. • Clean around the outside of the bin. LUBBOCK, Texas Despite hot, dry conditions that have dropped crop ratings across the U.S. Sorghum Belt, Gerald Si monsen, National Grain Sorghum Producers (NGSP) Yield and Management Contest chairman from Ruskin, Nebraska, is encour aging farmers to see how their yields stack up in this year’s contest. “We know there are skilled and dedicated producers out there whose sorghum yields could still be competitive with farmers from other areas and states despite these recent conditions,” said Simonsen, referring to the contest’s unique structure that allows pro ducers to compete against historic yields in their own counties. “Because contestants compete against their own county yields, even farmers in areas with traditionally low yields find their own entries are competitive in this contest.” Winners of the contest, which includes five divisions, are determined by the amount a contestant’s yield exceeds the five-year av erage yield in that contestant’s county as de termined by USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. The contestant’s score is the difference between their yield and the county five-year average. Winners are de termined by high scores in each division. The contest’s five divisions are non-irrigated conventional tillage, irrigated conventional tillage, non-irrigated no-till, non-irrigated mulch-till, and irrigated reduced-till. Based on scores, state and national win ners are named in first, second, and third places in each division. State first-place win ners then compete for national honors. Producers may enter as many contest plots as they wish. A nonrefundable, $35 minimum-30-days-to-harvest Regular Entry fee or minimum- 10-days-to-harvest $7O Ex press Entry fee must accompany each entry/contest plot. State and national win ners of this year’s contest who are present will be honored at NGSP’s annual confer ence slated for Feb. 15-17, 2004, Little Rock, Arkansas. Producers who are interested in entering may contact NGSP by phone at (806) 749-3478 or by e-mail at member@sorghum growers.com. Entry forms in Adobe Acrobat pdf format also are available by visiting www.sorghumgrowers.com. • Stored grain must be monitored so insect infesta tions or grain spoilage can be detected before serious losses occur. Check stored grain bi weekly during the fall and spring months when outside air temperatures are changing rapidly, and during the sum mer. Reeder advises checking the grain at least monthly dur ing winter months while out side temperatures are below 40 degrees. Check and record the grain temperature and condition at several locations. The temperature history can be used to detect grain warm ing, which may indicate stor age problems. More information on dry grain aeration and grain han dling and storage, log on to the Mid West Plan Service Website at http:// www.mwpshq.org or call (800) 562-3618. NGSP Seeks Contestants
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers