- Chaffer: hand shell what you think are “average-sized” ears and throw grain onto chaffer. Set accordingly – if one or two kernels are laying on top, that's probably a good thing.
- Sieves: tighter – adjust to tailings.
- Fan speed: minimum of 50 to 70 rpm lower than normal, or perhaps even lower
- Feed accelerator/feeder house chains: run at normal speed. **Additional note on John Deere machines: grates on tine separating section – leave bushings out.
- Do a Full Shut Down. Harvest 100 yards, stop, and check for grain loss and cob diameter (largest to smallest). Adjust settings as needed. Stalks cut off in snapping rolls should be less than 3/4 length. Equipment dealers point out that doing a full shut down is the best way to see how the machine is performing.
- Remember: every time field work is done, it affects what’s done the next time we are in that field. These recommendations are not only to maximize harvest but to minimize field loss that results in volunteer corn in next year’s crop.
- Harvest safely.
Thanks to Dennis Payne of McLean Implement in Albion, Ill., and John Aubin of John Deere Company for their input on this article.