Get a sharp sickle to cut even near the ground using a floating header.

Harvest at 14-16% moisture. Under 12%, and you'll get cracks and splits. Combining when it's too dry can also cause shattering losses.

A reel speed that's 20% faster than your ground speed will result in less harvest loss.

Harvest loss: 4 beans/sq. ft. = 1 bu./acre. Tolerable loss level: 1.5-2 bu./acre.

Physiological maturity occurs when the pod from the second node on the top stem turns from light green to light tan or yellow in color. That's also when the crop is safe from frost. It's physiologically mature when the leaves drop off, and ready to harvest about 7 to 10 days after that.

Roundup Ultra or Roundup Ultra RT may be applied at least 7 days before harvest for preharvest weed control. Spray only after all pods should have turned tan.

Don't harvest too dry, or when moisture's too high. Harvest at 14-18% moisture and open the concave and slow the cylinders as the day progresses and beans become drier.

Pinto beans are mature, and can be knifed and windrowed, when 80% of pods are yellowing and 30% of leaves are still green. Navies are mature when 80% of pods are yellowing and 40% of the leaves are still green.

Rotary combines are best for soybeans and dry beans; some modify used combines for beans.

If weeds are a problem, use desiccants for dry-down: Gramoxone Extra (paraquat) 7 days or more before harvest. Sodium chlorate can be used as well. Both products can also be used on soybeans. Apply when beans are physiologically mature. Mostly aerially applied.

Physiologically mature and safe from frost about 55 days from mid silk. At that point, moisture is about 33-35% and drops thereafter about a half of a percentage point per day. Harvest when moisture is between 18-23%.

Harvest losses: Try to keep it under 2%. Two kernels/sq. ft = 1 bu./acre.

Corn headers work best; the all-row crop header will work but is slower.

Don't combine when it's too dry. The heads shell out. Combine at 14-15% moisture and dry it down to under 10% moisture.

Sanitation is important. Use an air compressor to blow out fuzz and dust that can cause combine fires. Do this daily. Also, keep dryers clean of fuzz and dust and monitor dryers when in use.

Desiccants will help dry down weeds or to help get the harvest in before stalks break down from disease or other damage.

Narrow pan headers, 9"-12," work best for harvest.

Acceptable harvest loss for oilseed sunflower is 3%, which is about 20 seeds/sq. ft or about 100 lb/acre.