Every grower this fall will be faced with a judgement call as to when harvest should occur for the different fields they farm.Though corn may be standing straight-up today it doesn't necessarily mean that it will remain standing that same way in three weeks time.For sure every grower should evaluate their fields by doing the push test.This will confirm which fields have good stalk integrity versus those fields that do not.Corn that has good stalk integrity can remain in the field and it will continue to dry.Over the last 10 days corn has been drying at the rate of about .4 -.5% per day. It takes 35 Ontario CHU's to drop 1 point of moisture from Physiological maturity to 25% moisture.After that it will take nearly 50 CHU's to drop corn by 1 point of moisture. The biggest concern that growers will have taking wet corn directly to the elevator is possible dockage for low test weight.A TW of 54.1 lb per bushel is required to be classified as Grade 2 corn.One cannot generate a true test weight on wet corn.For each point of moisture removed from wet corn, test weight will generally increase by .2 lb per bushel.In other words if your corn is harvesrted at 30% moisture and registers a 52.7 lb TW on a wet weight basis it would actually register closer to 55.6 lb TW as dry corn basis.

Every October Pioneer sales reps become very busy conducting field plot weigh offs for their growers.In the above photo Pioneer Rep Al Merrick of Strathroy Ontario is conducting one of his many plot comparisons.In this case he is actually holding his own field plot day.

Each hybrid in a growers plot is measured for its wet weight,its harvest moisture and its test weight.Plot length and row width as well as the number of rows harvested are all recorded as well.

On site computer calculations give a quick assessment of yield for each hybrid weighed.Growers find this kind of information very valuable in making next years hybrid selections.

As you can see, from this early harvest plot Of Al Merricks', harvest moistures are still running very high though yield propsects look very good.Take note of the lower test weights being recorded with this very wet corn.Bear in mind that these test weights will go up considerably as the corn is dried.

Of course it goes without saying that part of a good plot day is the refreshments and socializing that growers take part in while taking a break from their own busy farming schedules.

Its just amazing how good a pot of baked beans, roast beef on a bun,oatmeal and peanut butter cookies as well as a hot cup of coffee tastes on a cool fall harvest day. It truly makes growers recognize the value they play in the food chain.

THE BIG YIELDS OF THIS PLOT MADE EVERYONE GO HOME WITH MORE OPTIMISM FOR A GOOD HARVEST THAN WHEN THEY ARRIVED.KUDOS TO AL and JANICE MERRICK FOR PROVIDING THEIR GROWERS WITH NOT ONLY SOME EXCELLENT PLOT HARVEST RESULTS BUT ALSO A GREAT HARVEST MEAL.