Snapping Corn

[AGRIMAN]

I thought that I would share a few pictures of our new adventure. For the most part, we have always tried to grow and grind our own feed. I have been talking with some folks about improving my cow feed and using whole ear corn always seems to come up, so we have decided to snap a few acres of corn this year just see how well it works out.

I know snapping corn is nothing new, but I guess it just fell out of popularity around here many years ago and I have personally never done it (that's what combines are for). In order to pull this off, I have assembled a collection of old/antique corn snapping equipment to the likes of which I have never really seen too many times much less used. Including a 2 row New Idea snapper, an old flat bottom trailer (Electric?) and a old corn conveyer to put it the bin. After a few tubes of grease, some burnt oil and a can of PB Blaster, we took her out on a test run yesterday and everything seems to be running good.

All I can say is grandpa would be proud (or maybe he would ask me what the XXXX were you thinking son).

 

[Timm250]

What kind/size of tractor are you using to pull the picker?

 

[AGRIMAN]

The tractor is a CaseIH Farmall 140A, it's 140 hp. I know it's way overkill, but at the time it was my only option. If we can finish moving hay, I will probably drop it down to a 60hp tractor and hope that it makes it a little easier to turn around.

 

[dave1949]

That's a good adventure. I remember corn (we called them pickers) from when I was a kid. Every farm had a corn crib of some type or other then, and most kept some sort of animals to feed too.

I think they accounted for more than a few farm injuries, so do be careful and don't take safety shortcuts.

 

[MossRoad]

I've never heard the term "snapping corn".

 

[AGRIMAN]

I've never heard the term "snapping corn".

LOL... It's probably a southern thing. Around here we don't "pick" corn at all. If you are using a combine, you're " pulling" corn. If you getting the whole ear, you're "snapping" corn.

We do however, "pick" cotton and we "pick" peanuts but that's about it. Well, it will be supper time before long.

 

[Timm250]

The tractor is a CaseIH Farmall 140A, it's 140 hp. I know it's way overkill, but at the time it was my only option. If we can finish moving hay, I will probably drop it down to a 60hp tractor and hope that it makes it a little easier to turn around.

My Dad had a 1 row & a 2 row. We pulled them with a 3000 Ford. We had wooden wagons & I shoveled the corn out of them into a crib. He raised over 100 acres a year of corn. Sold some & fed the rest to hogs & cattle.

 

[MossRoad]

... If you are using a combine, you're " pulling" corn. If you getting the whole ear, you're "snapping" corn.

...

Thanks! :thumbsup:

 

[AGRIMAN]

That's a good adventure. I remember corn (we called them pickers) from when I was a kid. Every farm had a corn crib of some type or other then, and most kept some sort of animals to feed too.

I think they accounted for more than a few farm injuries, so do be careful and don't take safety shortcuts.

Thanks and we will be extra careful. Our old corn crib is long gone, so we are going to put in one of our grain bins. We are going to grind it all for feed, but I had a few deer hunter's already call want to buy some. It seems the new hot thing is using ear corn. I might sale some but I'm not sure how to price it.

 

[ncnurseryman]

Haven't checked this year, but last season 100 lbs of deer corn was going for 20.00. But this was all corn and no cobs.

 

[AGRIMAN]

My Dad had a 1 row & a 2 row. We pulled them with a 3000 Ford. We had wooden wagons & I shoveled the corn out of them into a crib. He raised over 100 acres a year of corn. Sold some & fed the rest to hogs & cattle.

WOW! That was a lot of shoveling. I found and bought a old corn conveyor so we are hoping it makes the job a little easier. We will still have to shovel off the trailer, but maybe it won't be too bad. I'm not to sure about the old gas engine so we are looking into changing it over to a PTO drive. Speaking of the engine, it has to be the oldest BS 5hp moter I have ever seen. It's complete even down to the oil bath breather. Another antique LOL.

 

[smstonypoint]

Thanks and we will be extra careful. Our old corn crib is long gone, so we are going to put in one of our grain bins. We are going to grind it all for feed, but I had a few deer hunter's already call want to buy some. It seems the new hot thing is using ear corn. I might sale some but I'm not sure how to price it.

Ear corn is popular among deer hunters in SC, and farmers with corn pickers have been able to obtain a premium price for their ear corn.

Steve

 

[oldnslo]

Our old corn crib is long gone, so we are going to put in one of our grain bins. We are going to grind it all for feed,

If putting ear corn in grain bin, will mold and spoilage be an issue? We always put it in a crib or some type of enclosure so that there was air flow around the cobs to promote drying. Other thing we did was grind it straight from the field as high moisture ear corn and put it in the silo.

Yes gather chains and husking bed / rolls have eaten a lot of hands. They turn so slow and grab you so quick...

best of luck on your adventure.

 

[wolftree]

What was the row spacing on your planter? At the time that picker(snappers) were commonly in use, corn was planted in 36-38 inch rows.

 

[AGRIMAN]

Ear corn is popular among deer hunters in SC, and farmers with corn pickers have been able to obtain a premium price for their ear corn.

Steve

Thanks (You to ncnurseryman). I'm not a deer hunter anymore so I don't keep up what they are paying. My boys still hunt deer, but they get their corn free (well they work for it...lol). We sale a lot of oats out of the bin to the horse folks and some hunters. You might not think so, but it does add up. If you happen to hear of what the SC farmers are charging, I would be interested in knowing.

 

[AGRIMAN]

If putting ear corn in grain bin, will mold and spoilage be an issue? We always put it in a crib or some type of enclosure so that there was air flow around the cobs to promote drying. Other thing we did was grind it straight from the field as high moisture ear corn and put it in the silo.

Yes gather chains and husking bed / rolls have eaten a lot of hands. They turn so slow and grab you so quick...

best of luck on your adventure.

Well, all my bins have reversible fans, so I can blow air from under the floor up through it if needed. I don't think mold/spoilage is going to be a problem as long as you can keep any heat built up out. Yeah the gathering chains on a combine head will get you quick also, if you are careful.

Someone has basically removed the husking bed from the one I have and replaced it with a sheet of metal (no shafts). Was this something normally done if I guy didn't want the husk removed or just a cheap way to bypass a worn out bed?

 

[AGRIMAN]

What was the row spacing on your planter? At the time that picker(snappers) were commonly in use, corn was planted in 36-38 inch rows.

We plant 36 inch rows, but we did plant some soybeans 30 inch this year. Some guys have gone all 30 inch, but most of the cotton and peanut guys just stay around 36 to 38.

 

[stuckmotor]

I've never heard the term "snapping corn".

I've heard the pickers called corn snappers. Have you heard another term he used which, I suspect is also southern, "burnt oil"? My granddad used to put that nasty stuff on parts that didn't even need oil. He also put it in a leaky rotary mower transmission.

 

[Daver1963]

I have never heard the phrase "snapping" corn. If I remember correctly, in my little corner of heaven growing up if you were doing what you're doing it was "picking" corn and if using the combine it was "shelling" corn. Who knows, 20 miles down the road it might have been a different set of words.

 

[smstonypoint]

Thanks (You to ncnurseryman). I'm not a deer hunter anymore so I don't keep up what they are paying. My boys still hunt deer, but they get their corn free (well they work for it...lol). We sale a lot of oats out of the bin to the horse folks and some hunters. You might not think so, but it does add up. If you happen to hear of what the SC farmers are charging, I would be interested in knowing.

Sorry, I'm not a deer hunter and so I don't keep with what ear corn is going for these days.

This listing from Yakaz for SC shows a range of asking prices -- Sc cob corn for sale - Yakaz For sale.

Yesterday, SC cash shelled corn prices ranged from $4.40 to $5.11 per bushel (56 pounds): http://www.ams.usda.gov/mnreports/co_gr110.txt. This works out to a range of $0.085 to $0.098 per pound.

I checked a few of the listings on the Yakaz site and it looks like the ear prices ranged from $0.133 to $0.15 per pound. That's not a bad price for cobs. Of course, you have the extra expense (labor, materials) of bagging the ears.

Steve