When is corn dry enough to pick?

[millstreaminn]

How can I tell when my ear corn is dry enough to pick so it will keep in my crib? The first year I picked it too early and got a bit of mold on it, last year I picked it too late and the birds and deer ate most of it in the field. Short of a moisture meter, I read somewhere where you can weigh a few ears then dry them in a cool oven and reweigh to get the moisture percent. Any better ways, and at what percent will cobb corn keep in a crib? I have a neighbor that grows a bit of corn, but I have too much pride to ask him! ;-)

 

[skyhightree1]

Before we combine our corn my grandpa taught me to always wait until the whole stalk is brown and silk and everything is brown and the ear is not close to the stalk or looking like its gonna fall off stalk. I hope that helps.

 

[ChrisB]

I'm not sure on what the moisture should be for ear corn. But to find out what yours is, you could take a few cobs to pretty much any mill and hand shell the cobs so they can test it. They shouldn't charge you anything.

 

[skyhightree1]

This was our corn about a month before we harvested it.

 

[Banjo]

Old rule of thumb is when the ear falls over and isn't upright.

 

[Chris H]

Call your seed salesman. Some corn is better than others for picking. Some corn shells real easy and if you have a variety like that you might have to pick it a bit wetter than a variety intended for picking.

 

[sim.-ang.king]

Shell off a kernel, pop it in your month, and bite down. If it's hard, and like chewing on a un popped popcorn then it's dry dry. If you bite, and it's crunchy, but still mashes up easily, it's about 18-20%. It you bite down and it mashes right up, then it's 25-30%. That's the way I was taught, and can get pretty close.

 

[shadyhollownj]

My neighbor does the same as sim angus. I have been peeling the bottom off my corn kernels in the wettest sections. Once its black or brown I was told its about 30%. I plan on picking two weeks after that.

 

[TexasBred]

Any large grain buyer in the area will have a moisture tester. Pull a few ears, shell it and take them a sample. Takes about 10 seconds.

 

[ibetyamissedme]

How can I tell when my ear corn is dry enough to pick so it will keep in my crib? The first year I picked it too early and got a bit of mold on it, last year I picked it too late and the birds and deer ate most of it in the field. Short of a moisture meter, I read somewhere where you can weigh a few ears then dry them in a cool oven and reweigh to get the moisture percent. Any better ways, and at what percent will cobb corn keep in a crib? I have a neighbor that grows a bit of corn, but I have too much pride to ask him! ;-)

Round crib or rectangular? How wide is the crib? If it is rectangular does it face the prevailing winds?

 

[millstreaminn]

I'm not sure on what the moisture should be for ear corn. But to find out what yours is, you could take a few cobs to pretty much any mill and hand shell the cobs so they can test it. They shouldn't charge you anything.

There really aren't any mills around here anymore. The closest one would be about 75 miles away.

 

[millstreaminn]

This was our corn about a month before we harvested it.

My corn looked like that about two weeks ago. The ears are still standing up, but the husks are all loose. I have been hand picking and hand shelling it for 3 weeks for some ducks and geese I have, comes off the cob real nice.

 

[millstreaminn]

Shell off a kernel, pop it in your month, and bite down. If it's hard, and like chewing on a un popped popcorn then it's dry dry. If you bite, and it's crunchy, but still mashes up easily, it's about 18-20%. It you bite down and it mashes right up, then it's 25-30%. That's the way I was taught, and can get pretty close.

Thanks for the info! I'm gonna guess, by using your method, that I'm less than 18 %. What is the max picking moisture you are able to harvest at? It's not like I have a lot of corn, about 26 rows, 650' long each. It is Pioneer brand, recommended for picking but I don't remember the number. It will go in a crib 3' wide.

 

[Chris H]

Here's some good info from Perdue, http://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/GQ/GQ-29.html.
Just what I skimmed from the article, I think you'll be OK picking now. It's good you got a variety intended for picking. Husband used to sell seed corn and the varieties best for picking had a more hollow core in the cob, that let the inside get drier faster. The grain tends to stay on the cob better as it goes through the picker, hits the wagon, and goes up the elevator.
Also, not all varieties will have the ears break over, some remain upright even when dry.

 

[millstreaminn]

Here's a reply I got from asking the same question on a corn picker forum: Theres an old system farmers used to use and I use myself on occasion. Grab 7 ears from the field in different places. Put them in a cattle tank or a 5 gallon pail of water. If atleast four of them float they are ready to pick.

Never heard of that, I'll give it a try tonight... :cboy: