Episode 29 of Battle for the Belt is now available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLexs5y9t3o
In episode 29, we talk with Dr. Elizabeth Hawkins, one of our Agronomic System Field Specialists with Ohio State Extension, about preparing combines for harvest. Elizabeth also manages the eFields program. The eFields program is an annual report of on-farm research conducted in the state. Look forward to the release of the 2023 eFields this upcoming winter and check out previous years’ reports here: https://digitalag.osu.edu/efields
Harvest Preparation Tips
- Get Ready Early: Get in your machine and check your components. Look for any parts that are worn and need to be replaced. This way everything is ready to go when the crop is ready to come off.
- Calibrate: Don’t forget to calibrate your combine! Calibration is necessary to retrieve quality yield data from your farm. Quality yield data can help you make informed management decisions for the next season like hybrid/variety selection, fertilizer management decisions, etc. Calibrating your combine will take extra time; however, the time is worth it to obtain accurate yield data.
- Keep an Eye on Conditions: As moisture and test weight change, the calibration may get a little off. Occasionally run a load and check that weight against the yield monitor to make sure that they are in alignment. If they are not the same, calibrate the combine again to ensure accurate weights are recorded.
Battle For the Belt Location Updates
The soybeans at the Wooster location are all at R6 (full seed) except for planting date 5. The earlier planting dates are starting to change color, but no pods are at harvest color yet. The corn at this location is drying down well with almost every planting date at R6 (maturity). We are waiting for planting date five to achieve the dented stage which is currently at R4 (dough, Figure 1). During disease rating, tar spot was found in planting dates four and five. The severity was not above 1%. If you farm in this area, take some time to see if you may have tar spot in your fields. Scouting for this now will help make management decisions in the future.
At the Western location, soybeans for planting dates one and two are at R7 (beginning maturity), having at least one pod on the plant at harvest color. The rest of the planting dates are at R6 (full seed) (Figure 2.). At Western, all corn is at maturity (R6). While disease rating planting date five, small amounts of tar spot were found. The tar spot at this location came in late and was at 1% or less severity.
None of the soybeans have reached R7 (beginning maturity) yet at the Northwest location, so every planting date is currently at R6 (full seed). Planting date five in corn is at R5 (dent) but the rest of the planting dates are at R6 (maturity).
Table 1. Planting dates one, two, three, four and five in the trial at all three locations with the day of planting, soil, air temperature averages, and Growing Degree Days (GDDS). Information from CFAES Weather System, https://weather.cfaes.osu.edu/.
Keep following the ‘Battle for the Belt’ this growing season to learn more and get further updates! You can find the full video playlist of Battle for the Belt on the Ohio State Agronomy YouTube channel.