This weekend I was picking ear corn at a neighbor's farm and he has a very late model NI 323. However, he is not happy with how much shell corn the picker makes. In comparison, ear corn from my IH 234 was making half as much shell corn as his NI 323. His snapping rolls are set as close as he can get them. He has had the local welder come and add nubbins to the snapping rolls, but still lots of shell corn. He has tried different varieties of ear corn, changed speeds on the ground and on the PTO. He was very impressed with my picker and how the stripper plates did not make that much shell corn.
What are some seasoned veterans with the NI 323 picker have to say about how he can reduce the shelling by this picker? Are there stripper plates he could add to his picker OR what pull type picker would be better for him?
Our NI324/327 pull-type pickers shell worse when the corn moisture approaches 15% or drier. We have very little shelling when we start at 19%, or sometimes a few points higher, depending on the circumstances. Maybe too late this year to help that, but next year it might be worth a try.
Does he have the rolls together at the bottom? Todays modern varieties are bred for easy shelling, Im picking at 19-20% and am still getting too much shelling to my liking. The 234 has stripper plates which helps a lot.
Bleeding Orange, what variety/brand of corn do you plant?
Jim, Yes he did have the rolls as close as he dared. Honestly, I agree he could pick sooner and that the varieties of corn today are not designed for ear corn pickers. His ground speed is fast and should slow down to allow his husking bed to do a better job.
