Extension is expanding its online education and resources while in-person events and classes are canceled.
Corn harvest
Find strategies for harvesting corn in Minnesota to maximize crop quality and minimize storage losses.
Harvest
Pre-harvest considerations for corn grain includes:
- Combine adjustment
- Yield monitor calibration
- Evaluating stalk strength
- Estimating yield
- Early fall frost and crop maturity
Harvest strategies for corn silage includes:
- Silage moisture
- Cutting length and crop processing
- Filling silos
Grain drying
Natural-air corn drying includes:
- How it works and where it's used
- Equipment
- Steps for successful drying
- Estimating and managing costs
- Safety hazards
- Is natural-air corn drying for you?
Dryeration and in-storage cooling for corn drying includes:
- What dryeration is and how it works
- Equipment needs
- Strategies for successful drying
- Guidelines for in-storage cooling
Energy costs for corn drying and cooling includes:
- How to estimate corn drying costs
- Factors that affect energy use of a gas dryer
- Natural-air drying
- Combination drying
- Cooling and aeration
Grain storage
Aeration helps maintain grain quality and minimize storage losses. Managing stored grain with aeration includes:
- Understanding aeration
- How temperature and moisture impacts storability
- Airflow and equipment
- Managing aeration
- Monitoring equipment
Maintain the quality of your grain by following these steps:
- Sanitize the bin and surrounding area
- Clean and protect your grain
- Aerate and monitor the grain
Grain storage tips includes factors and formulas for crop drying, storage and handling.
- Moisture and shrink factors
- Recommended storage moisture
- Airflow recommendations
- Maximum storage times and equilibrium moisture contents
Proper airflow through grain reduces insect infestations and harmful fungi and bacterial growth. Selecting the right fans for drying, cooling and storage helps maintain grain quality:
- Airflow requirements
- Airflow resistance in crops
- Airflow resistance in bins and buildings
- Fan performance
Managing corn residue
Harvesting too much corn residue for feed, bedding or biofuel production can impact soil productivity. Learn how to sustainably harvest corn residue:
- How soil organic matter relates to soil carbon
- How much corn residue can you harvest
- Factors that affect harvest amount
- Costs of removing residue
- Corn cob removal