When you double-plant a corn maze, especially in a cross-planted grid pattern, you create a dense and engaging maze layout.
But as the season ends, clearing the field can be a challenge. Combines may have difficulty navigating the thick growth, and some farmers may be reluctant to harvest a smaller plot due to the extra time and effort required.
However, many experienced maze growers have been double-planting for years without issues, using various strategies to handle the harvest efficiently.
Below are insights and tried-and-tested methods from farmers who regularly harvest their double-planted mazes.
1. Harvest Directly with a Combine
Contrary to what some may believe, many farmers report that double-planted corn mazes can be successfully harvested with a combine if the correct approach is used.
Farmer Experiences:
A farmer has been combining his double-planted corn maze for six years without any problems. According to him, the clogging issue may be exaggerated by those who aren’t keen on handling a small 2-acre plot. After combining, he lets cattle graze the field and then rolls the soil to return nutrients.
Another farmer, who has combined double-planted corn for five years, recommends using a 30” combine head on 20” rows and running perpendicular to the rows. This method has proven effective, with no clogging.
A farmer with 25 years of double-planting experience combines their maze without issues and suggests that local farmers may simply be uninterested in harvesting smaller fields.
For a successful harvest, reducing the planting population to around 18,000 can help keep the density manageable, as another experienced farmer explains. They report minimal corn loss using this approach.
2. Using Antique or Specialized Equipment
If local farmers don’t want to harvest your small maze, investing in smaller or antique equipment might be a cost-effective solution.
Farmer Experiences:
One farmer’s husband, when faced with reluctant local harvesters, purchased an antique Oliver combine for just $800. This vintage machine worked through the dense maze without clogging and handled the job well year after year.
Since then, the farmer’s friend has started using a two-row corn picker to clear the field, which is a reliable and affordable alternative.
3. Grazing Livestock for a Natural Field Cleanup
If you also have livestock, grazing cattle or other animals in the maze can be an eco-friendly way to clear the crop and add nutrients to the soil.
Farmer Experiences:
A farmer recommends allowing cattle to graze after combining. Not only does this remove remaining vegetation, but the natural fertilization helps enrich the soil.
Another farmer suggests using hogs, which can be particularly effective for small corn mazes. Hogs will eat down the corn, aerate the soil, and help prepare the field for the next planting season.
4. Harvesting Corn for Silage
If you have access to silage equipment or can work with local livestock farmers, cutting the corn maze for silage is another option.
Farmer Experiences:
Some farmers find that using silage choppers instead of traditional combines works better with the dense, double-planted rows. Silage chopping cuts down the crop evenly, making it easier to manage and clearing the field quickly.
Another farmer recommends simply cutting the maze for silage, which prevents the clogging issues that might arise with a regular combine.
Conclusion: How to Harvest a Double-Planted Corn Maze Without Clogging Equipment
While a double-planted corn maze can pose unique harvesting challenges, several experienced farmers have proven that it’s manageable with the right equipment and strategies.
Whether using a combine, small-scale equipment, livestock grazing, or silage cutting, there are multiple ways to clear your field without clogging issues.
And if you face resistance from local farmers due to the small size of your plot, consider these alternative solutions that other farmers have successfully used over the years.
Comments