Reply To: Thresher and Winnower

[NTrout]

Jada,

I don’t handle beans, but the machine I use for small grains will – an Allis Chalmers “All Crop” 60. This is a small, pull-type combine that hooks to a tractor PTO, or a power forecart. It has no engine of its own. Different from a self-propelled that you sit in and drive through your crop. My machine is a 1950 and I bought 2 for $500 to get one running machine without much effort. A machine this size can handle up to 10 acres a day, but conditions need to be spot-on, and machine running right. It only has a 60″ wide cutting head (AC 60). I use it for grain plots <5 acres. People also use these machines for stationary threshing in the barn if they’ve hand cut, or used a grain binder for field harvest. Getting harder, but you can still find these machines in the country side. John Deere, and Oliver also made pull-types, but the All Crop was most popular, so parts are still available.

If by “small – mid scale” you are >5acres you may want to consider a self-propelled machine. Massey Ferguson model Super35 is a nice machine with 8′ wide harvesting head. I CANT speak to their effectiveness with beans… It has an engine to contend with, but is otherwise pretty straight forward. I know a few folks that use them and really like them. Again, John Deere has some options in this category too. All are antiques and require some loving to keep them going. Still, many do as good, or better a job than their more modern counterparts. From a machine like this you get right into the bigger combines that can barely turn around on an acre. And ALL of those that I’ve listed will need to be kept indoors and that requires a building big enough to cover them = half the battle.

Yesterday’s Tractor/combine forum is a good place to search for threads on handling certain crops, which machine may be better/worse, warnings, etc. You might also find someone in your area with a machine who could custom harvest for you.

As far as further cleaning your beans goes I use a Clipper 1B seed cleaner. Again, don’t handle beans, but I have all the screens for beans. AT Ferrell makes these, and that company still makes Clipper seed cleaners. You can find small grain cleaners like this online, Craigslist, etc. and they are great. Paid $250 for mine (new screens $85 each!). Lots of bigger, fancier options, including larger Clipper models, but you can cut your teeth at a scale like this.

I know there are others far more experienced than me in this forum that hopefully will sound off for you. If nothing else, my answers could be an example of getting into harvesting, threshing, winnowing without too much expense, or experience and discovering some tools for added success.

Good luck,
Nick

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