In any given crop year, Western producers can be faced with the difficult predicament of a late harvest. Reasons for a late harvest? There are several obvious ones, including:

1. Late seeding dates due to excessive Spring moisture;
2. Cool weather conditions especially in the second half of the growing season can prolong crop maturation;
3. Wet and cool conditions towards the very end of the season can often prolong the onset of harvest as producers wait for the crop quality to increase and moisture levels to decrease.

In 2022, the uneven emergence of a crop from sowing into wet seedbeds undoubtedly contributed to some larger green seed counts at harvest. Unfortunately, late seeding and uneven emergence meant some farmers were burdened with excessively wet grain very late in the season. The good news in 2022 was the fall was unseasonably warm and open. This helped many producers pull their crops in with decent quality and moisture content much closer to the standard levels required for longer term storage.

The problem of storing tough or damp grain can be extremely expensive.

• Tough or “damp” grain is an automatic downgrade when delivered as-is.
• If the damp grain is not managed immediately off the combine, it can rot and spoil, causing a further downgrade to “sample.”
• Moreover, if the tough grain mixes with dry grain, it can multiply the problem by causing the entire bin to spoil.
• Due to the difficulties of storing wet grain, many producers choose to deliver their wet grain unpriced to a delivery point. In most years, the position of selling unpriced grain at harvest means taking a substantial hit to your potential revenue.

Rick Baldwin founded his company 4 Pecks on the premise that his team could help Western Canadian producers overcome some of the losses wet grain has at harvest. 4 Pecks Grain Storage & Handling professionals can equip growers with the equipment and knowledge to effectively condition their harvested wet grain for safe long-term storage. Moreover, 4 Pecks can empower growers to effectively monitor their stored grain for heat and moisture build-up during the planned months in storage.

4 Pecks recommends producers set themselves up to dry down their grain quickly as soon as it’s off the combine. Although it sounds relatively straightforward, the pros at 4 Pecks have learned that a precise formula must be followed to ensure their clients save as much as they can when drying their grain at harvest.

Rick and his team recommend the following set-up:

• Flat bottom bins with bin sweeps
• Full floor aeration
• Fans
• Temperature and moisture cables with remote monitoring
• Remote fan control (optional)
• Burners (optional)
• Grain dryer (optional)

With this information, producers are empowered to react and apply the appropriate combination of aeration and heat for the proper amount of time.

If interested in learning more, please call (844) 414-1419 or email info@4pecks.ca to book an appointment with one of our professionals.