New wheat harvesting technique

PairOfLabs

PairOfLabs

Active member
Just last week I was reading in Pheasants Forever about a new wheat harvesting technique that left longer stubble than the typical 10" or so length that I have been used to. Coincidentally, while hunting in the Holyoke area this past Sunday, I found several fields that had been harvested this way. The stubble was about 20" tall and seemed to offer much better cover for the birds. We found some birds holding pretty tight in there.

Will we be seeing more farmers switch to this harvesting technique or does it require expensive upgrades to their combines?

I can appreciate the challenges that a farmer faces and was hoping that this technique could be one of those "win, win" things--good for the farmer's economics and good for the birds' habitat.

PairOfLabs
 
It is called a stripper head. Its made by the Shelbourne company. Its not really new they have been around for roughly 15 years for sure maybe longer. Nothing to add to the combine its just the header. They are more expensive but they are becoming more popular because the amount of residue they do leave for a dryland farmer to catch viable moisture and hold it through the winter months. Also helps heavy rains to hold in the fields instead of just running off also.
 
Thanks EPman. Do you think farmers in general will be gradually changing to that technique as the time comes when they need to change or upgrade their equipment?
PairOfLabs
 
A person would think so. But am not sure. I think it depends on the next generation of farmers more than anything. Those headers really make the harvest go faster. Good question I cant really give u a solid answer.
 
Sure hope this longer wheat-stubble technique takes wide & far-reaching root - sounds like a possible rare-win/win opportunity that bodes well for both farmer & pheasant. :thumbsup:

The other corn-stalk thing doesn't sound like such a good wildlife-friendly wave of the future... :(
 
I had a chance to hunt Kansas for the opener this year and I was surprised by the amount of cover the birds had on farmed land. I talked to quite a few farmers there who told me that it is becoming the standard practice to use stripper heads for the wheat harvest, and to leave the stalks in the field when switching over to wheat. They said that both these practices require different heads and drills but the benefits gained from these practices far outweigh the short falls. Both these practices allow for the retention of more moisture in the soil and this really helps the dry land farmers. Not to mention the amount of good cover it leaves for all those birds. More birds, more hunters and more money to stimulate the local economy.
I realize that different areas have different ways of doing things and that as long as I've been hunting NE Colorado it seems that their standard practice has been to cut the wheat low. They also tend to harvest the corn, put some cattle in the field, bale the stalks and till the land to ready it for the spring planting. Now this may or may not be a good thing for all of us and I don't know how this affects the farmer but it seem to work for them. One thing I have learned from this practice is that once the stalks are baled it pushes the birds to heavier cover in the surrounding area and makes it easier for me to find them.
 
The corn stalk baling could only get larger. This is due to the fact of Bio-mass plants. They use a boat load of stalks. There is supposed to be one either operational or about somewhere in Kansas. What they need for total tons per day is just crazy.
 
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