Combines tips on harvesting grass seedIJIJIJIJ

Dingo

Guest
We have cut about 300 acres a year of bluegrass but we never use a grain head. I our area we have to swath that grass and let it sit for about 2 weeks so that it will dry down enough. Either rotor works but the speciality seems to be a little better in tough condtions.
 

co

Guest
Glad to hear about other grass harvestors out there. I've harvested Bluestem, buffalograss and blue gramma with my 1460. Standard rotor. First year I used stripper head on bluestem and it did great. This year I used my 820 flex (not having acess to the stripper)set in rigid. Rotor was 390 RPM, concave was about 1-2 with large wire concaves (small in blue gramma) (Small or large in buffalo grass)I have a cross flow fan, had the foiler up and fan was set at slowest speed. If you've got the old type fan you may need the slow down kit. For light chaffy grasses you need to keep air down to a whisper. I believe ground speed was between 1 - 2.5mph. For light chaffy grasses you'll need to take of one of the grain tank cover sheilds. Be careful back there!!! I mainly used a broom to flow the seed into the unloading auger. I only let the tank fill about 1_2 before unloading. Raised the grain truck box so wind wouldn't blow the seed away. If you've got the spring door at spout of unloading auger you'll need to undo the springs so the door hangs open. Seed will probably need drying, so that needs to be taken into consideration. In buffalo grass we used a 12 1010 head set up with a brush to "brush" the grass off the cutterbar into the auger. A air reel would be ideal as i know of others using it. Buffalo grass set up for the combine is a lot like wheat. If you want info on other grasses I can give you the email of another grass grower near me that is top notch with experience in bluestem, buffalo grass, sand lovegrass, indian grass, sideoats gramma, as well as a variety of flowers. Here in Nebraska harvest on the bluestem was Sept. 18. A little later on the bluegramma. Buffalograss was in August. schauda@nctc.net Good luck,