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On our farm we grow corn for grain. Unlike sweet corn our corn remains in the field until fall when the plant reaches maturity and the grain dries out. \u00a0So what kind of equipment do we have to get it out of the field and into our grain bins or off to market?<\/p>\n
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The Combine Harvester<\/h2>\n
A combine harvester, or combine, is the tool of choice for harvesting corn and other grains. The reason this piece of equipment is called a combine is simply because it combines several jobs into a single machine. Combines cut the crop and separate the grain from the plant while processing and spreading the remaining material over the field. The invention of the combine was a major moment in human history (with some debate about who really invented it!) that revolutionized the way grain crops were harvested. <\/span>Wikipedia has a really nice page<\/a> on the history of the combine harvester.<\/span><\/p>\n At the front of a combine is the corn head. Combines can switch between a variety of heads depending on the type of crop harvested. The inner workings of the combine itself don\u2019t require a swap like changing heads\u00a0from corn to another crop like soybeans, but adjustments in speeds, spacings, and more are made accordingly.<\/p>\nHow Do Combines Harvest Corn?<\/h2>\n