Monday, November 5, 2012

Day 5: Harvest Equipment - Not Just a Combine

A combine isn't the only thing that is required to get the crop from the field to the bin.
Typically, most farmers use what is called a grain cart to speed up the process.  While Person #1 runs the combine, Person #2 runs the grain cart, virtually chasing the combine across the field, & catching the corn (or beans) from the combine's auger as the combine keeps going down the row.  This requires communication between the two operators (which can be the subject of another whole post, as this is a language unique to each set of operators, and if incorrectly interpreted by husband and wife, can lead to one person sleeping on the couch that night, or grain being dropped on the ground instead of being stowed safely in the wagon & bin).  My grandpa's signal for "stop" & "go faster" was the same signal.....thank god for cell phones & radios!

Hers's a great video

A grain cart is virtually a big wagon with an auger on it, so that it can be unloaded into a semi or another wagon for transport back to the bin (Person #3).

Here the grain cart unloads into the waiting wagon

Then, its back to the bin:
 
where an auger takes the corn from the wagon up into the bin.

It's not just as simple as running the combine or unloading a wagon, it takes a lot of time, people, and equipment to run all this equipment and harvest a crop.


Check out other "30 days" blogs at My Generation.

2 comments:

  1. Hello Guys, Really, this is superb information about harvest operators. I had read your blog and i like it. If you want more info please, visit: harvest operators

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  2. I love your point about the special language used during the dump on the go process. My recently retired mother-in-law is in the process of learning that language. I'm happy to have 20 or so more years before it's my turn to learn!

    ReplyDelete

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