Grain / seed cleaning

[Banana Bar]

Given that we are trying to use much less seed treatment I am looking at cleaning our own seed. I'm not certain that gravity separation is essential, is anyone using something similar to below?

 

[teslacoils]

How many tons a year? Mobile dresser will just clean it, then when done they go away, store, service and maintain the kit!

 

[Clive]

Given that we are trying to use much less seed treatment I am looking at cleaning our own seed. I'm not certain that gravity separation is essential, is anyone using something similar to below?

all our seed goes through a rotary cleaner, it’s perfectly good enough, the cleaner will do 60t/hr when pre cleaning for our grain dryer, slow it down to 5t/hr for eed and the job is as good as gravity separating

 

[Clive]

How many tons a year? Mobile dresser will just clean it, then when done they go away, store, service and maintain the kit!

paid for our cleaner in yr1 of owning it

It also has the bonus of pre cleaning for the dryer meaning we don’t clean crap as reduces risk of fire. Also means we can combine faster and let the cleaner tidy the sample if required

one of those “don’t know how we farmed without” bits of kit you don’t realise you need until you have one !

 

[bankrupt]

reduces risk of fire.

Good point.

Always thought harvesting, drying, storing and delivering maximum amount of rubbish within contract limits was good business.

Funny how one's perspective can change with just the one fire.

 

[Clive]

Good point.

Always thought harvesting, drying, storing and delivering maximum amount of rubbish within contract limits was good business.

Funny how one's perspective can change with just the one fire.

we don’t throw the cleanings away ?????

in fact it’s a great way to increase bushel weights and even proteins with some “constructive” truck loading !

 

[Banana Bar]

paid for our cleaner in yr1 of owning it

It also has the bonus of pre cleaning for the dryer meaning we don’t clean crap as reduces risk of fire. Also means we can combine faster and let the cleaner tidy the sample if required

one of those “don’t know how we farmed without” bits of kit you don’t realise you need until you have one !

What sort of cleaner have you got? Farm King look popular in the US and Canada.

 

[Banana Bar]

paid for our cleaner in yr1 of owning it

It also has the bonus of pre cleaning for the dryer meaning we don’t clean crap as reduces risk of fire. Also means we can combine faster and let the cleaner tidy the sample if required

one of those “don’t know how we farmed without” bits of kit you don’t realise you need until you have one !

What sort of cleaner have you got? Farm King look popular in the US and Canada.

 

[PSQ]

all our seed goes through a rotary cleaner, it’s perfectly good enough, the cleaner will do 60t/hr when pre cleaning for our grain dryer, slow it down to 5t/hr for eed and the job is as good as gravity separating

I've got an old TripBat rotary cleaner plumbed in to the handling system. What size of screen/s do you use for seed cleaning @Clive ?

I've always used a reputable seed cleaning company, but this year my wheat has a lot of volunteer forage rye, and it's growing in the drill rows. It makes me wonder what else has come in with the machine from the previous clients, as I've never known rye to be grown on this farm.

 

[Clive]

What sort of cleaner have you got? Farm King look popular in the US and Canada.

one of these with 4 screens

 

[Steevo]

we don’t throw the cleanings away ?????

in fact it’s a great way to increase bushel weights and even proteins with some “constructive” truck loading !

Increase bushel weights by adding screenings?

 

[farmerfred86]

Given that we are trying to use much less seed treatment I am looking at cleaning our own seed. I'm not certain that gravity separation is essential, is anyone using something similar to below?

I have thought about this before... If 4 farms locally buy an old gravity separator/lorry it would pay to share it but the reality is we all can't be arsed! Its easier to have a professional come in with reliable kit to sort it.

 

[Banana Bar]

I have thought about this before... If 4 farms locally buy an old gravity separator/lorry it would pay to share it but the reality is we all can't be arsed! Its easier to have a professional come in with reliable kit to sort it.

Trouble is an old lorry based unit is exactly that and will require lots of ongoing maintenance. Something like the above would cost peanuts to run and maintain. Put it on an Ifor Williams and I’ll buy one with you.

 

[Steevo]

I have thought about this before... If 4 farms locally buy an old gravity separator/lorry it would pay to share it but the reality is we all can't be arsed! Its easier to have a professional come in with reliable kit to sort it.

.....or if 4 farms got go together and bought a lorry, then employed a man to run/drive it for them they could do contracting for others with it also.

Trouble is if that man was motivated and had the cash and was willing to take a risk he might be more keen to set up on his own and do exactly the same thing.

 

[SilliamWhale]

Mobile dryer works for me. Never felt my own seed was inferior to the stuff in a bag. Often it looks better. Arguably a little bit of chaff in it but pretty miniscule.

Don't know why everyone doesn't do it this way to be honest

 

[Right-arm fast]

Given that we are trying to use much less seed treatment I am looking at cleaning our own seed. I'm not certain that gravity separation is essential, is anyone using something similar to below?

More than anything i like the look of putting the seed into 30 ton trailers to be augered into the drill rather than 1/2 tonne bags.

 

[farmerfred86]

Trouble is an old lorry based unit is exactly that and will require lots of ongoing maintenance. Something like the above would cost peanuts to run and maintain. Put it on an Ifor Williams and I’ll buy one with you.

If its clean enough... A few hours spent each year unblocking coulters and it would be a pain. Seems like an obvious step though, especially having lost redigo deter and now reducing seed treatments anyway. I like to think that gravity separating gives a good advantage against small seeded grass weeds and in a year like this you could be home saving a lot of small seed?
Could always cut the front of the lorry off and mount on a low loader!

 

[Chae1]

Haven't dressed treated any seed barley for past 2 years. Haven't had any issues.

Have the forum to thank for giving me confidence to do it.

Do get it properly tested first.

We use mobile dryer to clean ours. Know one guy that uses the combine and just bags it up out spout.

 

[SilliamWhale]

When i was in Finland last year on a little trip I spoke to a lot of arable farmers and as a rule of thumb in a rotation around wheat/ barley/ rape /oats (all spring) they tended to buy in fresh seed every 5 years for multiplication.

 

[farmerfred86]

Know one guy that uses the combine and just bags it up out spout

Problem solved just buy an old dominator! FFS!