Combining flat winter linseed - any tips

[Simon Chiles]

Is removing the retractable fingers easy? Never done it before but mine wrapped terribly Saturday. I think mine is over ripe stem wise (ie has started to ret) but seeds only just mature. Had glyphosate 3 weeks ago. Did one round of the field and packed up.

Probably a 15 minute job on a JD header as they’re all held on with R clips, don’t remember it being difficult on the Claas either. It can transform the job. Waiting for the right weather is key, heat is the important bit. Another contractor and myself managed to go twice around a 17 acre field in one day with two combines and a spare man each pulling the wrapped linseed off the auger, the other contractor said he couldn’t waste time on the job so pulled out. The following day I knocked 40 acres out in the afternoon by myself, basically it cut it as fast as I could sensibly drive the combine.

 

[glasshouse]

Any tips for picking up flat linseed? Class 770 and vario header. First time cutting linseed and not looking forward to it!

Stripper header

 

[glasshouse]

It’s flat.

Still better with a stripper

 

[glasshouse]

I didn't realise stripper headers would do peas so nicely. Ideal for anyone on stony ground where the idea of picking up a flint with a combine would keep them awake at night.

They dont do peas very well as they tend to pull them out of the ground
The resulting soil in the combine is very expensive

 

[Flat 10]

Probably a 15 minute job on a JD header as they’re all held on with R clips, don’t remember it being difficult on the Claas either. It can transform the job. Waiting for the right weather is key, heat is the important bit. Another contractor and myself managed to go twice around a 17 acre field in one day with two combines and a spare man each pulling the wrapped linseed off the auger, the other contractor said he couldn’t waste time on the job so pulled out. The following day I knocked 40 acres out in the afternoon by myself, basically it cut it as fast as I could sensibly drive the combine.

Thank you that’s great.

 

[CPF]

Rice and ryegrass in this video often as flat as a witch's proverbial.

I’m not boasting .But I know a thing or two about Grain strippers. Used to own UK only Grain stripper hire business we had 13 off them back in the 90s They would harvest most things as you all know, anything flat on the floor there’s nothing out there what will beat them. Some old Pictures

 

[CPF]

They dont do peas very well as they tend to pull them out of the ground
The resulting soil in the combine is very expensive

The rotor is not going fast enough if that is happening

 

[glasshouse]

The rotor is not going fast enough if that is happening

It was going flat out
The soil was more like mud

 

[carbonfibre farmer]

I’m not boasting .But I know a thing or two about Grain strippers. Used to own UK only Grain stripper hire business we had 13 off them back in the 90s They would harvest most things as you all know, anything flat on the floor there’s nothing out there what will beat them. Some old Pictures View attachment 976504View attachment 976505View attachment 976506

When was this may I ask?

Our combine is ex silsoe, and I'm lead to believe it did some of the trial work on stripper headers.

 

[reb1952]

It all depends on the weather and the crop. No two years are the same. 2019 we had flat winter linseed. Bit too much N.
Reasonably warm and sunny day but reel and auger well wrapped in a few minutes.
Fitted lifters, reel up out of the way and it went well.
Finished the field in the dark ( 30+ acres)
Crop had had glyphosate. Left at least 3 weeks after spraying. It was only reglone that worked in 7-10 days.
In 25+ years growing linseed (last 10 or so winter) we've never had to remove fingers ore any other mods to combine.
JD walker machines, mostly oldish.

 

[Flat 10]

Thanks to @Simon Chiles tips I combined my winter linseed yesterday and today. Despite being a lovely sunny day, warm with moisture only 7.5% it would not go in without wrapping. Removing fingers from auger wasn't exactly quick but the hour lost was taking them off and the other one putting them back easily paid for itself. I wish I had tried it a week ago when I blamed why it wouldn't go on lack of sun as I'm sure this way I could have forced it. For some reason I have had way more bother cutting winter linseed then I ever have cutting spring linseed but this may be coincidence. I think this was a bit over ripe and had begun to ret. Yield was abysmal. Last year was pretty good.

 

[Simon Chiles]

Thanks to @Simon Chiles tips I combined my winter linseed yesterday and today. Despite being a lovely sunny day, warm with moisture only 7.5% it would not go in without wrapping. Removing fingers from auger wasn't exactly quick but the hour lost was taking them off and the other one putting them back easily paid for itself. I wish I had tried it a week ago when I blamed why it wouldn't go on lack of sun as I'm sure this way I could have forced it. For some reason I have had way more bother cutting winter linseed then I ever have cutting spring linseed but this may be coincidence. I think this was a bit over ripe and had begun to ret. Yield was abysmal. Last year was pretty good.

Excellent, now you’ve got the hang of it I’ve got 40 acres of organic ( full of mayweed etc. ) for you to do. It’s done nothing much but rain here so it should be nicely retted by now.

 

[average farmer]

Finished ours today after a lot of messing about, think I’ll have about an attic load off of 50 acres . Haven’t saved any seed