Grain Drying Guidelines for a Wet Fall Harvest

A high-moisture-content harvest can result when crops mature late, an early freeze occurs, or fall weather conditions are wet. Higher moisture contents at harvest generally mean more fines and broken corn, more difficult conveying, slower drying, and A high-moisture-content harvest can result when crops mature late, an early freeze occurs, or fall weather conditions are wet. Higher moisture contents at harvest generally mean more fines and broken corn, more difficult conveying, slower drying, and higher fuel consumption. Field drying diminishes significantly as the weather cools and essentially stops by mid to late November. When deciding whether to delay harvest to save fuel, consider that an increase of about 2% in field losses is equal to the cost of the extra fuel needed to dry wet corn from 25% to 20% moisture