Tim_nj
Guest
Probably never harvested it that way in Australia because it's so dry, but in the days before propane and oil fired grain dryers, corn was picked leaving the kernels on the cob, then putting it in a well-ventilated corn crib to let it air dry. It was either shelled out when the moisture got down lower, or ground cob and all for cow feed. That's my niche. I have 1 customer who grinds for dairy cows, 1 who grinds for steers, and 1 who grinds for elk (of all things). They prefer the consistency of the feed from whole ears over just the kernels. Right now, shelled corn is going for $2.20 for a 56 pound bushel where I am. 70 pounds of ear corn will yield one bushel of shelled corn. I get $3.15 for a bushel of ear corn ($90 per US ton). I have no drying costs, and it's all sold within 5 miles of the farm, so very little trucking costs. The machinery is older, but in good working order and -most importantly- paid for.