Not a cooperative year so far to get malt selected. To me this speaks to good price opportunities for those who are lucky to hit the quality specification.
1) All farmers are going to have to make the call whether to go for malt or just treat as feed/harvest accordingly. You all will know the steps to malt (swathed ripe, combine set properly to minimize peeling and cracking, harvested dry, etc.). One that always catches me by surprise is the combination of warmer temperatures when the barley is binned and moisture content closer to the upper end of acceptable. From my understanding (an economist by the way so keep that in mind), this is the most common cause of barley loosing germination during the winter (warm and wet enough to begin the process of germination in the bin during the late winter/spring).
2) Only other comment is that it is definitely a year to do homework before you start taking your sample around for selection. At the very least, know you protein. Make sure you are doing proper sampling off the combine (i.e. a handfull out of every load into a five gallon pail).
Any other tips for someone drying to get malt barley selected?
1) All farmers are going to have to make the call whether to go for malt or just treat as feed/harvest accordingly. You all will know the steps to malt (swathed ripe, combine set properly to minimize peeling and cracking, harvested dry, etc.). One that always catches me by surprise is the combination of warmer temperatures when the barley is binned and moisture content closer to the upper end of acceptable. From my understanding (an economist by the way so keep that in mind), this is the most common cause of barley loosing germination during the winter (warm and wet enough to begin the process of germination in the bin during the late winter/spring).
2) Only other comment is that it is definitely a year to do homework before you start taking your sample around for selection. At the very least, know you protein. Make sure you are doing proper sampling off the combine (i.e. a handfull out of every load into a five gallon pail).
Any other tips for someone drying to get malt barley selected?
Comment