# Baling Cornstalks 101



## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

Moderators please move this thread if its in wrong subforum.
Thanks for taking a minute to look at this thread. Pre-apologize if it offends anyone in any way.
I got a call from a friend who is planting 50 acres of corn next season. He wanted to know if I'd be interested in baling the cornstalks. I have "101" level questions, so here goes:

Cutting:
Aren't cornstalks cut with a typical batwing rotary mower?
If yes, I've noticed "cornstalk kits" for them. Are these kits a necessity? Is it an extra blade or shield? If my CX-15 doesn't have a cornstalk kit, can I still cut them?

Raking:
Are the cornstalks then raked into windrows (roughly like hay would be raked)? Is my rotary hay rake suited for the task? Or are they not raked?

Baling:
Is my NH BR760 sileage special baler the right baler for cornstalks?
Will it need any modifications to bale cornstalks into marketable round bales? Do I need to wrap the cornstalks more times to keep them in a tight bale?

Marketing:
I'm pretty sure some of my mushroom growers buy them, but unknown. I dont know what theyre worth and that is my biggest concern (are they worth baling)? If mushroom company wont buy, then who else buys them? I assume COW. Who else buys them and what is the general price range for a 4x5 bale?

Equipment damage:
Does cornstalk baling wear out the equipment faster or is it too rough on the equipment to be worth doing?

Sorry for the incredibly elementary questions. I have no mentor to show me here in person, so I rely on reading to learn and a dose of common sense.


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## steve IN (Jan 13, 2010)

I have baled a lot of stalks. First is chopping. Your mower should work fine. You may have to drive a little slower but should work fine. I use my Kuhn tandem rotary rake to rake mine. You want to make sure that you set the tines to run alittle bit higher because of the root crowns. As for baling keep the rpms slower and only run fast enough to get the stalks into the chamber. It is a slow process but beats unplugging. I use a CIH RB454 silage special. When wrapping put at least 4 wraps. I only use 2.5 on hay. Yes it is harder on the rake teeth and pickup teeth but if you use your head the wear will be minimal. I use them or sell them mostly for bedding and sometimes feed in a pinch. Price is usually dependent on straw price or customer preference. Around here they have been selling for 40 -50 dollars a ton. You will also have to account for fertilizer removal. Hope this helps.


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## Teslan (Aug 20, 2011)

They use corn stock shredders here. More robust then a regular mower. Then raked with a wheel rake. If there aren't furrow rows then I suppose a rotary rake would be ok. There is a guy around here that bales corn stalks with a Veermer round baler, but most do big squares. I was strongly encouraged to not bale corn stocks with my baler when I bought it. I was told it was very hard on them and you had to have your baler in near perfect adjustment to make good bales.


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

I've raked corn stalks with my H&S Hi-cap 14 wheel rake then baled with my JD 467. Stalks were cut with a regular Bush Hog 2615 bat wing. I agree stalks are hard on equipment but no difficult to bale. I put 4 wraps of net on bales. My neighbor cuts stalks with his JD 946 Mo-Co and states the stalks bale better than shredded stalks


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

There are a million corn stalk bales baled here.There are many ways to do it.Like hay you have to make sure they are dry or they will mold or heat.

Cutting ,there isn't a right way,there are many ways.With chopping heads on combines now most just rake and bale.If non chopping hd most will use a stalk chopper not a batwing either will work but thats what is used here.Some just roll and then rake,smashes down the corn stumps to make the rakeing and baleing easier.Some use stalk choppers with forming shields to make windrows.

Rakeing.most use V wheel rakes here after shredding.A few V bar rakes like the Vermeer.I know of 1 rotary rake being used on stalks but he said it was hard on it,going to go to a wheel rake.The key to rakeing is get the windrow the width of the baler to maximise capacity of the baler and make a even bale.

Baleing,most newer balers will work.Vermeer has a power feeder to help feed in JD has a roller I think NH has a roller also.Most if not all the baler mfg co reccomend turning pressure down some to save on the belts.It's hell on pickup teeth,thats why some are rolling the stalks to smash the stumps down.Keeping in top notch condition helps in baleing,If 25% of you teeth are missing its not going to bale it!!

Note about getting stalks prepared,the finer they are the tougher to make a bale.Some just rake and bale or roll rake and bale.Harder on everything but easier to make a bale.

Marketing.It can be boom or bust here depending on the weather.If wet and crappy it gets sold for bedding.You have to remember the nutrients removed from the land when baleing them off.Around $25 per ton.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)




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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)




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## Gearclash (Nov 25, 2010)

JD3430, the equipment you have, while not ideal for baling cornstalks, will certainly get the job done on 50 acres. I don't think you will really need to modify anything, just need to learn a new set of tricks working with stalks. Here stalks are worth 45-60 dollars a ton in the bale.


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## bbos2 (Mar 20, 2015)

We use an old bar rake to keep the wear off the rotary rakes. Wheel rakes I think are ideal. Baling is slower. I actually prefer cornstalks for bedding my steers so look for cattle guys if mushroom guys don't take them. For me it was always a harder sell but if straw and bedding gets tight they sell fast


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

I have seen a few cornstalk choppers for sale on CL.
Cant believe its put any strain on a CX-15...


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## PaMike (Dec 7, 2013)

It wont put any wear on the mower. Stalk choppers are usually flail type. They tend to shred more than a rotary. Not a big deal though. A batwing will be fine especially if the combine has a chopping head on it. The biggest pain is if the combine and trucks put ruts in the field. Then when you rake and bale your tines hit the dirt due to gauge wheel riding is valley of rut. Pickup tines throw dirt all over the back of tractor. Like others said, bale slow. Unplugging corn fodder out of a pickup isn't fun.

I would see if mushroom barns are buying, if they are baying fodder it will probably be worth it. If not, its iffy. I can say that straw will be sky high in the spring due to the dry spring we had this year. If straw price stays high all next year farmers will be looking for cheaper bedding. Mostly dairy guys buy fodder for their heifers. At least that's how it is in this area....


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

Sell them to your mushroom guy. You're too close to that market to mess with finding a different one for all they're worth. Sometimes here they'll sell for $80-100 if the straw crop was really short or if everyone chopped their corn for silage in a dry summer, but usually they're $50-70 at auction. Some advertised in the Lancaster Farming for more than that.

Lots of people take their windguard off.


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## PaMike (Dec 7, 2013)

I always have my windguard off so I forgot to mention...

Yeah, take the windguard off unless you like unplugging a baler, in the dark, in half wet muddy ground with rain coming.

Did I mention I don't like rolling stalks, especially in the dark...


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## PaCustomBaler (Nov 29, 2010)

Mushroom house is a option for sure. Guys use rotary mowers or flail mowers. Rotary rake will work fine. I assume that baler will make a fodder bale, but it's very hard on a baler...fodder is extremely abrasive. No way I'd ever run fodder through a baler I own, I respect and rely on my equipment more than that. But hey "to each, his own"! Good luck


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## endrow (Dec 15, 2011)

This is where 20 years of no-till shine. Stalks bale much nicer.


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## glasswrongsize (Sep 15, 2015)

Best I can do is show what my book says about baling stalks with my baler. I would think theory is sound and might be helpful. 73, Mark


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

Since this is cornstalks 101.....what is workability/feasibility of leaving the stalks shredded in the field? Do they have any residual value to the land?

I know here, peanut vines are baked by a lot of folk, but when you really work it out, I don't think it's really economically feasible lessen its rented ground that you don't plan on renting next year.


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

So the baler takes a beating....thats something to consider for sure.


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## stack em up (Mar 7, 2013)

somedevildawg said:


> Since this is cornstalks 101.....what is workability/feasibility of leaving the stalks shredded in the field? Do they have any residual value to the land?
> I know here, peanut vines are baked by a lot of folk, but when you really work it out, I don't think it's really economically feasible lessen its rented ground that you don't plan on renting next year.


There is P and K leftover that will biodegrade back into OM. Removing stalks will remove P and K. We always spread manure heavier in the fields we bale, so the removal isn't as high.


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## bbos2 (Mar 20, 2015)

somedevildawg said:


> Since this is cornstalks 101.....what is workability/feasibility of leaving the stalks shredded in the field? Do they have any residual value to the land?
> I know here, peanut vines are baked by a lot of folk, but when you really work it out, I don't think it's really economically feasible lessen its rented ground that you don't plan on renting next year.


We do,the same stack em up. We replace all the stalks we take with manure. I would have a hard time removing stalks without replacing it with manure. It's the first field of beans planted in the spring


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## hillside hay (Feb 4, 2013)

Isn't the heavier stalk residue left by improved varieties why nk till guys bale stalks? I can see where some fields would be hell on a Planter with ll that residue


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## stack em up (Mar 7, 2013)

No. Truthfully, if you're no till planter can't get thru the residue, it's time to buy a better planter. As long as the earthworms are doing their job, the residue isn't as much of a challenge as you think. The first year or two is the worst. After that, the earthworms are pretty good at what they do.


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## PaMike (Dec 7, 2013)

I hate read somewhere that taking the cornstalks off the ground didnt actually reduce organic matter much at all. Kinda hard to believe. It may have been a PSU study. Dont remember..


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

PaMike said:


> I hate read somewhere that taking the cornstalks off the ground didnt actually reduce organic matter much at all. Kinda hard to believe. It may have been a PSU study. Dont remember..


OM and humus are different things and that's probably the confusion. Removing the stalks clearly reduces OM but not much humus because most of the humus is going to be formed in the ground from decomposing roots.


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## luke strawwalker (Jul 31, 2014)

somedevildawg said:


> Since this is cornstalks 101.....what is workability/feasibility of leaving the stalks shredded in the field? Do they have any residual value to the land?
> 
> I know here, peanut vines are baked by a lot of folk, but when you really work it out, I don't think it's really economically feasible lessen its rented ground that you don't plan on renting next year.


Ummm... yeah... probably 95% or more of corn stover is left on the field after harvest... Up north they leave it stand over the winter to hold snow... then disk them flat and plant in the spring (or no-till into them directly). Down south, we generally shred the stalks off with a bush-hog and then disk the field, in our particular area we then plow up beds...

The nutrients in the stover will gradually be released back into the soil as they break down... if you bale the stover, you have to apply additional fertilizer to make up for the removed material...

SO, if you don't "need" the bales, don't have a market for them, or aren't feeding your own livestock or selling the bales to others, there's really NO reason to bale them, especially considering how much wear and tear they put on your machinery... Stalks are very abrasive and tend to bring in a lot more dirt than regular "hay"-- dirt which wears out the baler... it's particularly hard on bearings and side sheets and other such parts...

Later! OL JR


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

That's about what I was thinking.....cost per ton being 30-50$, seems like it could be more beneficial (as it is with peanut vine) to leave the residual. Even after taking pnut vine, the residual left is readily visible in the cover crop, looks like the fertilizer speaker truck didn't do a good job......after playing it all out, I figure you net about $25 per acre with pnut producing about 2tpa and selling for about $70 pt......

Just wasn't sure how it played out with corn stalks......


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

You didn't ask 2 important questions: yield per acre as well as time vs dry hay to bale.


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

luke strawwalker said:


> Ummm... yeah... probably 95% or more of corn stover is left on the field after harvest... Up north they leave it stand over the winter to hold snow... then disk them flat and plant in the spring (or no-till into them directly). Down south, we generally shred the stalks off with a bush-hog and then disk the field, in our particular area we then plow up beds...The nutrients in the stover will gradually be released back into the soil as they break down... if you bale the stover, you have to apply additional fertilizer to make up for the removed material...SO, if you don't "need" the bales, don't have a market for them, or aren't feeding your own livestock or selling the bales to others, there's really NO reason to bale them, especially considering how much wear and tear they put on your machinery... Stalks are very abrasive and tend to bring in a lot more dirt than regular "hay"-- dirt which wears out the baler... it's particularly hard on bearings and side sheets and other such parts...Later! OL JR


Some leave standing corn (a few rows) as a snow fence. Never heard of anyone leaving stalks to catch snow. HERE, it freezes and fieldwork is stopped. In a normal year. This year, too wet now.


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

Not to say some don't, just many run out of rime.


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

JD3430 said:


> So the baler takes a beating....thats something to consider for sure.


This would concern me more than anything. Hay is your bread and butter. With what has been posted as the value of corn stalks vs hay I would have to pass on the stalks.

I have never baled corn stalks and what little I know has been learned from reading this forum.


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## discbinedr (Mar 4, 2013)

I gather from the OP that this is a custom job so the conversation about nutrient removal is irrelevant. What matters is what is the compensation. If it's in bales then the baled stover value matters. If it was me I'd charge for baling and shredding and let my friend decide if it's worth it. 30 bales per hour at $10 per [email protected] I would consider that worthwhile.


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## discbinedr (Mar 4, 2013)

4X5 stalk bales go for around $20-$30 each here.


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## Bob M (Feb 11, 2012)

I bale corn stalks to use my self and sell straw at $200 plus per ton. I only bale from no til ground and I use a shredder. If shredded properly I believe they dry better and are easier on the baler to bale ( small square baler). Good corn fodder is great bedding, bad corn fodder to me is worthless in a bale. I would never bale fodder for $100/ ton, To me the value needs to a lot higher to compensate for loss of nutrients and wear and tear on Equipment.


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## shortrow (Feb 21, 2012)

swmnhay said:


>


Gee whiz, you did that in a day?


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

shortrow said:


> Gee whiz, you did that in a day?


no it's a friend of mine.He baled 12,000 this yr


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## endrow (Dec 15, 2011)

BTO and real good friend tells me they just finished up 35000 bales 3x3x8 and it's all going for mulch / mushroom Avondale PA


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

I'm running a BR740A silage special, unless the windguard is drastically changed on your BR compared to mine, ignore everything the manual tells you about preparing to bale stalks and just take the windguard out and leave it out till your done.

We use a regular ole bush hog to chop, then rake with a v rake.

We leave several rows between passes to hold the snow.

I also try to bale our stalks as wet as possible then wrap, with dry stalks you might have better luck with the windguard. Personally I think the one in my NH644 was a much better design, anytime I leave mine in baling stalks it will lead to grief.

Last tip, don't run the stalk chopper/bush hog any faster than required, get that stuff shredded too fine it's harder to get too feed right and hold together once ejected.

I use 3.25 wraps of the wrap I get from Cy.


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## Gearclash (Nov 25, 2010)

New Holland's two piece wind guard is just about as good as having a moisture meter when baling stalks. If the stalks are dry, they can be shoved through pretty fast. If they are wet/tough, they will plug unless the operator really babies it.

The biggest handicap of the BR series Xtra Sweep pick up is that it turns too slow. I had a good proof of that this fall with my BR7090.


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