Combine the wheat!

[Donn Hewes]

I borrowed an Oliver 18 combine to do and acre of wheat I planted this spring. I used the PTO cart and four horses and mules. It was a lot of fun and the wheat looked great. I made about 10 40 pound bags from 50 pounds of seed. I used a heritage type wheat called Red Fife. I think next year I will plow and plant a little more. My Amish neighbor says next year I can use his reaper / binder so I might try that. Here are a few pictures

[near horse]

Hey Donn,

My eye is getting sore from having your finger sticking in it so often!! (I’m trying to say that I’m jealous :)) Where did you find Red Fife? I used to have a website that carried it and some other old varieties until computer crash – now, no more.

With Monsanto’s army marching agriculture over the cliff, saving some of these old varieties (like Red Fife) is one way we can respond. Are you planning on saving/replanting any of this year’s harvest? I think I’m hypersensitive right now, after seeing 2 films about the Monsanto GMO canola ruling and Percy Schmeiser. Grrrrr!

How big is an Oliver 18 combine (6 ft header)?

[mitchmaine]

geoff, fedco seeds up here in maine has red fife. could be pricey, but getable. i planted a acre of glenn and it came good. but shorter than i thought it oughta. still in the dough stage. waiting.
mitch

[Donn Hewes]

NOFA NY has for a few years had a pilot project that aims to increase the number of small, local produces of grain crops, as well as, determine which of the varieties (both heritage and new) are best suited for the small plots. I got my seed from them at a good price. I will save some of my seed, but I may also try some of the other varieties.

Oliver 18 has a seven foot cut. It was hard to get the whole thing in the grain as the right hand horse ended up in the grain crop as well! The owner and I spent a couple days patching holes and cleaning it up, and it worked pretty good.

[near horse]

Hey Mitch,

I’ve never heard of “glenn” variety. Sometimes it’s hard to evaluate a variety over one or two seasons – so much can vary to impact to performance (too cool for too long, too hot too soon, moisture at the wrong time …). With regard to plant height, some of the old varieties were more variable in average plant heights – something the plant breeders tried to change. In this area (the Palouse of E. WA) they developed the “dwarf” variety of wheat back in the 50’s so mature plants are only about 2-2.5 ft tall – no more “amber waves of grain”.

Both you and Donn make sure to let us know how your yields went. Very cool stuff!

Donn, do you have a way of cleaning your seed? I have a plan for a homemade seed cleaner I snatched off the net if you’re interested. Uses a shopvac I think – have to double check.

Also, don’t forget the value of that straw you have left in the field. It’s worth cutting and baling some of that – for personal use as well as resale. We have folks out here clamoring for straw come fall.

[Donn Hewes]

I think the one advantage of a combine over a reaper / binder is that I can leave the straw in the field. I will plow that in with the clover in the spring.

[mitchmaine]

Hi geoff, you guys are the grain guys, and I’ll listen as long as you want to talk on the subject. Lots of interest in growing small grains here, and demand is good with limited supply. The learning curve is sharp. And so far the biggest problem I see is getting the grain off. Not much equipment to choose from. I bought a quarter share of a binder/thresher with some friends and it works great til each of you need it ten miles apart. So I got a free combine worth just that. The bottom is now completely pop rivets and duct tape.and I watch and wait for one of the 56 bearings or gearbox to explode cause there are no replacements. Someone might do well to invest in a sound machine that was easily transportable and work his or her way around the countryside here harvesting everyones grain. Leaving them to just grow it. I have a neighbor who is starting a mill and has the cleaners and hullers and rollers and so forth. He and I used to lug our grain in a horse trailer to ohio and have it done by an amish miller in mt. hope. Buy a pair of horses and come home. Those were the good days.
Donn, I think the combine is graet and handy and gives the job over to one man. makes it very convenient. But one advantage the binder had was hardening that grain off. never had to worry about drying. I tried binding it and then tossing it into my combine but too much straw for my old machine. So we still experiment and try to learn. Advice gratefully accepted. Demand for Straw here makes it almost as valuable as the grain.

[near horse]

Mitch,

What did you get for a combine? (Model not price). I think the ticket would be one of the pull behind units from the 40’s/50’s. Like an AC 60, 65, 72 or JD model 30 or 12. They only have 5 to 6 ft headers, usually are rusted in most of the flat sheet metal parts (rat/mouse urine etc ..)

Power options are PTO (so need a power cart like Donn’s) or some have a motor on them already (seem to be rarer cause folks like to take motors off for other uses).

I think your combine experience with binder straw/grain would happen with most combines since they really weren’t meant to handle that much straw. Just cut right below the grain heads w/ a little extra stem.

They’re harvesting out here right now and holy moly! I drove over to get some calves yesterday and there was a field of 20 – 30 acres of standing grain when I went past in the AM (and no combines in sight). Two hours later, I came by and that field was completely done and way off on the horizon were 3 combines ( probably $200,000 a piece) each w/ about a 28 ft header. Wow. Still need 100,000 bushels of $6 wheat to pay for those machines.

The small grains movement is catching on although it’s still pretty limited. I’ve mentioned it on DAP before but I’ll mention it again – google a radio program called “Deconstructing Dinner” and look for a series on small grain production for a local CSA. Pretty empowering.

[mitchmaine]

geoff, my combine is a case 55 probably from the 40’s. its a 5 foot cut and pull behind pto. had to go to ohio to make the canvases, and penn. to find knife sections. if in your travels, you ever see a operators manual for this beast, grab it for me, will ya? thanks, mitch

oh, we had 20 bu. (600#) spelt off a rough acre from 100# seed. not too good, tough winter, came in spotty. oats and wheat look better. i heard that red fife was a winter or spring wheat. but a friend tried it fall sown and had poor luck. also what do you know about cardinal? thanks again..

[Mark Cowdrey]

Hey Mitch, check this out:
http://www.agriconmanuals.com/case-combine-parts-manual-p-45000.html

[mitchmaine]

wow! mark, how did you do that? you rule. thanks, bud. mitch

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