Swather Pickup Salvages Wet Crop

Swather pickup salvages wet crop SWATHERS Swathers 10-1-23 Mounting a combine pickup on the front of a self-propelled swather is a great way to flip wet grain windrows that might otherwise be lost, according to a report in the Canadian farm magazine COUNTRY GUIDE. Gilbert Getson of Wildwood, Alberta, managed to save 150 acres of oats and barley by mounting a 10-ft. Renn combine pickup on the front of his International 4000 swather. Even though the crop had been rained on almost continuously for 3 weeks, the pickup lifted it onto the swather canvas, which then gently turned it over and dumped it back out onto the stubble where it could dry out. In order to keep the windrows properly spaced, Getson used the left side of the canvas when traveling one direction and the right side of the canvas when traveling the opposite direction. After 3 days of warmer weather, the crop was ready to combine. Without the turning, he's certain it would have sprouted. Mounting the pickup took just 2 hrs. He removed the swather reel and a few guards. Some adapted brackets held the pickup in place.

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