Durum secrets.

[freewheat]

So what is the deal with durum? Yes it is a bit later, but why is it a southern crop? Is it simply the grading and wet potential harvests? A neighbor grows it most years and has not yet quit, so who knows? Is it one of those "perception" things? As in grandpa never grew it, so it is impossible to grow in the parklands? I mean guys here are growing 130 day soft white wheats for the hogs.

I have some higher land that is not frost prone in fall, and is earlier to get on in spring. I am not concerned about the growing season length on this land, but AM concerned about wetter harvests. I straight combine though, and guys have talked about sprouting and weathering, but these guys are all gotta knock it down, swather guys.

Look forward to replies.

[farmaholic]

Finickity shit for grading. From a #1 which is hard to get because of all the problems (smudge, blackpoint, fusarium, HVK, midge, ergot, bleach, blah blah blah), all the way down to a #5.

[bucket]

Durum is a long season. It's popular down south because it seems it can wait for a rain. Sad part is once it's ready it can go from a 1 to a 5 in one rain like last night.
It's a specialty crop to make a number 1.

I have quit chasing a higher grade because as this year points out - mother nature decides the outcome not all the sprays guys use.

[farmaholic]

I've said that too about durum... kinda a specialty crop and needs to be treated like malt barley....quality is key. I know a farm here that will take theirs tough and dry it to maintain quality.

[Braveheart]

I'm baffled with durum. We farm right by the border. In North Dakota, right beside us really, they can grow beautiful durum. Clear, almost see through amber colour.

We grow shit. I've tried. Just turns to shit. The colour is shit coloured. Grades like shit. Ten miles north and it's shit. Why? Why such shit? Why?

[Daylate]

We've had durum in the rotation for years 15years here. 4 miles from the parkland. We have had nothing but durum for a cereal for 4 years now,been great but this year I think were going to take it up the chocolate star. Another 2 inches on it last night and it is just mature enough now to losec he only thing that we help with on blending, hvk, cause our fuzz is always too higher a good grade (except last year) should have tried to carry some over.

[farmaholic]

Maybe a seedgrower could chime in here... but I thought the old Kyle variety(too tall) had a clearer look to it than some of the more recent varieties like Strongfield or Verona. Then if you like, you can grow the proprietary varieties and marry yourself to only one marketing option :-(

[Daylate]

We've had durum in the rotation for years 15years here. 4 miles from the parkland. We have had nothing but durum for a cereal for 4 years now,been great but this year I think were going to take it up the chocolate star. Another 2 inches on it last night and it is just mature enough now to losec he only thing that we help with on blending, hvk, cause our fuzz is always too higher a good grade (except last year) should have tried to carry some over.

[rockpile]

I would have replied sooner, but the site wasn't working too good. I grew durum from the late 70's to the mid 90's and it was my principal cereal until too many people started growing it. The worst grade I ever got was a #2. First of all, if you're in the black soil zone, forget it. Durum likes brown and light brown soils and does not like clay, but a sandy loam. It was very drought tolerant and out yielded rsw every year plus sold at a premium. Some hints: don't grow it on irrigation, will never ripen. Go easy on the N, 40 lbs is enough or all you will grow is straw and again will stay green until it freezes. And last, don't seed too heavy. Most guys seeded 2 bu per acre and grew tons of straw. I seeded 50 lbs and grew seed. I first grew Wakooma which was great, but had to be swathed because it would start shelling before it was fully ripe. Kyle was good for uniform ripening, high yield, and, straight cutting. A high stand tells me too much N applied. Durum is very sensitive to localized conditions and respects the soil and climate conditions. If you are regularly grading 3 or lower, don't even bother. My 2 bits.

[newguy]

We have grown durum as long as I can remember. New varieties are shorter which is better as you move more north in Sask. Since we have had some very wet years it is hard to get a good grade. Does better than some other crops on a dryer year. Been years since we have had that. Think maybe we all have some adjustments to what may be the new normal weather.

[Daylate]

Just to confuse everyone, I have had way better luck with almost the complete opposite of rockpile. 100#N is no different than 60# as far as straw. High seeding rate has easier target timing for fuzz control. Guess it depends where you grow it and what you need out of it at harvest. We have never swathed it, always straight cut. Have tried all sorts of varieties, looking for a better one, but still put 90% to strongfield. Have to get seed from 200 miles away every year to find any without fusarium graminarium though.

[JDGreen]

Durum quality is difficult. Cwrs is way easier grade wise. Am building my own conditioning facility to help combat the grading issues.. Building, concrete work, and bins are in place. Equipment and millwrighting late fall and winter. Will be able to scalp, grade, sift, gravitate, color sort, and dry in one pass at 17mt per hour when finished.. This will enable us to have the quality the market demands .. There has been an incredible amount of money left on the table over the years with durum that you simply could do nothing about.. This will be a huge help for us year in and out I believe.. Agronomically I grow the shortest varieties I can get and straight cut it all..

[farmaholic]

rockpile, 40 pounds of N on a crop with high yield potential is only going to give me a piebald sample. How much N does a 60 plus crop need to yield that much and have an acceptable protein level? I agree with JD, there are shorter varieties out now that make the crop more manageable with higher N levels....

[rockpile]

Daylate, just to reaffirm, I quit growing Durum in about 96 or 97 and have been out of farming for 10 years. So I have zero experience with the new varieties and I'm sure they're far superior to what I grew. I should have mentioned that I seeded into chem fallow every year so might explain why 40 lbs N was enough. Also, I seeded with 8 inch spacing. But I can understand the dynamics of growing in a continuous rotation and much wetter climate. My target was 50 bu/ac at 60 lbs per bu. Best crop was 72 bu. Never had disease issues. A different area - we used to joke that when it rained for forty days and forty nights, we got a half inch.

[sumdumguy]

JDGreen, have you rounded your Durum up yet. I have been advised not to around it up, but have plane hired for tomorrow, ready to go cause frozen Durum is chicken feed for sire. Would appreciate your experience. Any one elses, too.