Tri-State Neighbor: South Dakota Farm Newspaper

This has not been a warm summer, and the average silking date for many corn fields in northwest Iowa was later than average.

If it silks later, then corn will reach maturity later. The later it matures, the less favorable the weather is likely to be for good field dry down of corn.

In addition, northwest Iowa looks to be fortunate - corn yields look like they might be quite good for the most of the area.

Producers have a lot of corn to store and to possibly dry this year. Therefore, it is probably wise to plan how they will store the crop in advance of harvest.

Here are some things to think about, as adapted from Dave Nicolai at the University of Minnesota.

Sanitation

Be sure that storage structure and grain-handling equipment (conveyors, wagons, trucks, elevators) are clean and keep outside areas clean. A common rule-of-thumb is, “If you can tell what has previously been in the bin, it is not clean.” Debris and grain spills outside the bin encourage rodents and insects. Keep weeds from growing around bin areas - these sites are ideal for pests to hide.

Combining and loading into storage

Grain harvested with a clean and properly adjusted combine should also be run through a grain cleaner to further remove fine materials, particularly if producers plan to store it into the next summer. These “fines” make life easier for molds and insects. In addition, a grain distributor is extremely helpful, it spreads fine material uniformly across the grain mass.

When loading, producers want to create a grain mass that's clean, dry and uniform, without foreign material. Immediately after the bin is filled and the grain is level, use a grain protectant if storing grain for one year or more to help control insects that enter through roof openings.

Aeration

In the fall and with any bin that holds more than 2,000 to 3,000 bushels, aerate to cool the stored grain and create a better storage environment. Those who grow field crops should be able to cool grain to temperatures below 50 F by gradually cooling through the fall. Insect activity is reduced at this temperature.

Aerate to cool grain to 25 to 35 F for winter storage. When aerating dry grain, about 0.1 cubic feet of air per minute per bushel of grain is recommended. When natural-air drying grain, allow four to six weeks, depending on the weather and initial crop moisture.

For more detailed information, see the Minnesota Extension publication “Grain Storage Tips” at www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/cropsystems/M1080-FS.pdf, and another titled “Natural-Air Corn Drying in the Upper Midwest” at www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/cropsystems/DC6577.html.

Monitoring

Check stored grain regularly for temperature, moisture, insects and molds. Inspect stored grain every seven to 14 days when either outdoor or grain temperatures are higher than 50 F. If the grain is in good condition and has been cooled to less than 30 F, producers can increase the inspection interval to once every three to four weeks during cold weather.

For more grain storage information, visit the University of Minnesota's Grain Drying, Storage and Handling Web site at www.extension.umn.edu/topics.html?topic=4&subtopic=44.