Grain Farming
By: Dylan Ruechel
Definition
Grain farmers grow grains such as wheat, corn, rye and etc. They grow the grain for animal use, but mostly grown for human consumption.
Who
Grain farming is a commercial farming, mostly in more developed countries, where it is to dry to for mixed crop and livestock. They farm it use machinery like planters, and combines. The farmers invest highly in equipment, land, and buildings.
importance
Grain farming is very important, because the how we get all the grains that we eat.
Effects
It effect the change of habits and biodiversity, and the soils by soil erosion, and fertility. It can also effect the water with field run off.
Interesting Facts
A bushel has been defined as 8 imperial gallons, or 2,219.36 cubic inches (36,375.31 cubic cm). A bushel of wheat is 60 lbs, shelled corn is 56 lbs, and rye is 56 lbs.
- In 2008/2009, U.S. farmers grew nearly 2.4 billion bushels of wheat on 63 million acres of land.
- In the United States, one acre of wheat yields an average of around 40 bushels of wheat.
- A bushel of wheat makes about 42 pounds of pasta or 210 servings of spaghetti.
- Each cob of corn consists of usually 600 kernels that are arranged in 16 rows.
- One acre of corn eliminates 8 tons of carbon dioxide from the air. Because of that, corn is one of the most important plants when it comes to the cleaning of the air.
- One bushel of corn can make 33 pounds of sweetener, 32 pounds of starch, or 2 1/2 gallons of ethanol fuel.
- In the 1930s, before the machines were available, a farmer could harvest an average of 100 bushels of corn by hand in a nine-hour day. Today’s combines can harvest 900 bushels of corn per hour—or 100 bushels of corn in under 7 minutes!
Personal connection
In 2016 this was our test plot for Great Lakes Hybrids.
This is the semi truck and hopper bottom that we use to haul grain to the mill.
This is me standing in front of the banker of corn before we put it in the silo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLxVICQaPAM