Janel: Hey, good lookin’ corn
Middle of Somewhere, Nebraska – How can it already be November 3rd and the harvest season is getting closer to the end? It always seems to fly by in the blink of an eye. Fall harvest overall has been busy since it began in mid-September.
There aren’t two fall harvests just alike and this ones been unusual but still good to us. The soybeans yielded well but we didn’t get to cut as many acres as normal because there was more corn acres planted than ever. When we finished soybeans on October 8th we immediately got started on corn and have been going full speed ahead ever since. I’ve been extremely blessed to get to pick such nice flat fields of standing good yielding irrigated corn. Every field I’ve gotten to pick I’ve thought to myself hey, good lookin’ corn thank you Lord!
One of the reasons I think this way is because I’ve picked corn that was flat on the ground. That makes for very tough conditions. I’ve also picked corn that’d been hailed but still had to be picked and the bushels were slim. Also, green snap isn’t any good either because it also cuts the yields. I’ve also picked corn when it was super muddy. So, when the conditions are good like they are now I’m very very thankful and happy!
Machinery size continues to be the hot topic and often discussed. I started out with a 6 row wide header, then both 8 row narrow and wide, then 12 row narrow and I’ve also ran a 16 row narrow header. X9s, AF10 and 11 combines are what I see a lot of online. Hourly productivity is what is discussed, as well as, having enough support equipment to keep the grain away. Multiple grain carts and trucks are needed to keep the biggest combines moving across the acres. It’s interesting to hear about the bushels harvested per hour.
Corn harvest is a bit different than wheat harvest. It’s full of early mornings and some late evenings. The elevators typically open at 7 or 8 am and close somewhere between 4 and 8 pm. Weekend hours are different too and sometimes Sunday hours can be slim to none. The elevator lines can be super long depending on the conditions, weather and yields. We just want to work if we can because the weather can be a fight for trying to get corn harvested. Wind, rain, and snow can cause delays and make conditions tough and cold temperatures aren’t pleasant at all. We want to work as many hours as we can to get the crops harvested and finished up!
As of now our forecast continues to look sunny and clear with highs in the 50s and 60s. Right now I’ve been nervous about the corn moisture. It’s got to be 17 percent or below so when it’s borderline it’s nerve racking. When it’s around 15 percent I feel much better about it and don’t have to worry so much.
I am continuing to get applications for harvest 2026 via www.schemperharvesting.com and I’ll be interviewing continuously during the off-season. We don’t quit when we’re tired. We quit when the job is finished. Our harvest season is May through November. If interested, please apply online. Best of luck to those still in the fields trying to finish up harvest for the year!
Janel Schemper can be reached at [email protected].
All Aboard Fall Harvest is sponsored by High Plains Journal.
