Chaff, Silage, and Straw, Oh My!

[Able Archer]

I'm very thankful for all the help I've received over the last few days. I completed all the tutorials today (hadn't done animals or logging yet), and I am still confused about something.

How do you make chaff? The help says something about corn (I have not yet planted corn), but also says other crops can be used as well. Its a bit confusing.

Chaff is necessary to make silage, correct? You take chaff to the biogas place, run it over a few dozen times, and boom! Silage. Right? (I feel like I'm missing something).

Silage can then be turned into slurry. Or you can get slurry from cows/pigs (though, I don't think I'm ready to deal with animals yet...I can barely get this part figured out yet).

Finally, during the "cow" tutorial, there was straw, and there was hay. I didn't realize those were two different things. Any advise on those? Is hay dried grass?

Finally, I think this does explain something I'd missed--there are two icons I can't find info on. They are little clouds with a grass-like symbol in it. One has a sun above it, one doesn't.

Many, many thanks!

[Able Archer]

Just a thought--it would be super helpful to newbies if someone would put together a "flowchart" that shows what becomes straw, hay, etc., and how you get it to that point. I know there's a machine called a windrower(I think that's it) that helps dry grass. Not sure when/why I'd use that, for example.

[Matothex]

Tedders are used to dry grass, turns it into hay. Windrowers only make it easier to pickup with a baler(for hay or straw) and forage wagon ( for grass too)

[Fraxis]

After planting and growing corn you need a forage harvester to harvest chaff. Then take it to the biogas silos to store and make silage. :)

[Able Archer]

OK, but what about Barley and stuff? I found where it says I need a "cutter" (or was it chopper?)

I'm not sure what that is.

I'm still only working my first three fields (and doing some jobs elsewhere). Perhaps I'm trying to get into that too quickly?

[Matothex]

Yea its a different header to the forage harvester than the one used to cut corn and transform it in chaff

[HuggernautNL]

I am also confused by this.

For instance, the help says I can turn the straw swaths into chaff that can then be turned into silage at the biogas plant.

But it doesnt tell us how to turn the straw swaths into chaff?

Does anybody know?

[Tex]

You get chaff by using the forage cutters. Harvest corn, wheat, or barley to get chaff. You need to dispense it into a trailer as you cut.

Bales of hay/straw can be wrapped by using the wrapping equipment then they will ferment into silage.

[Able Archer]

Thanks Tacos!!

So, specialty equipment--specifically, Forage Harvesters. Do you pull a trailer behind it as it goes? Or, is it a 2 person job?


(Trying to minimize my loans, so it's sounding like it'll be a while before I get to try this..)

[Tex]

Yes you can use a trailer attached to the back. The cheapest tool to cut chaff would be the MEX 5. It attaches to the front of your starter New Holland tractor. Its underpowered so it may go slow with it. It would be easiest to just hire a worker to cut and you run along side because I found pulling a trailer behind one of the larger machines gave it problems turning.

[-Fields-]

Sometimes it a trial and error process, you can hire workers to cut and depending on the machine can store a certain amount as it goes along or some just instantly dispose of the produce into a trailer meaning you need to run along side

[Matothex]

Talking about fs15 (must be the same in fs17) u can pull trailer with the harvester if your drive de harvester yourself (and look at trailer capacity to not spill as your trailer is already full) or hire a worker and follow him with a tractor and trailer (like regular harvester) it will stop harvesting when trailer is full or away

[Able Archer]

OK, so, with the MEX 5, what am I harvesting at the time? Straw strips after the combine picks the wheat/barley up? Or, something else? (I think I'm starting to get it--sorry for all the questions.)

Also, I bought a mower, because I saw that grass can be made into silage as well. I then baled the grass. I see that I can sell it at the Biogas place, and it starts to load a tank there. But, I wasn't sure what that will eventually become.

I take it that making grass into silage, it can't be baled?

[Birckablock]

Originally posted by Beech Richards:

OK, so, with the MEX 5, what am I harvesting at the time? Straw strips after the combine picks the wheat/barley up? Or, something else? (I think I'm starting to get it--sorry for all the questions.)

Also, I bought a mower, because I saw that grass can be made into silage as well. I then baled the grass. I see that I can sell it at the Biogas place, and it starts to load a tank there. But, I wasn't sure what that will eventually become.

I take it that making grass into silage, it can't be baled?

With grass, you can turn it into hay via a tedder, and bale it, then proceed to wrapping it. These will become silage bales. At the BGA (Biogas) There are the bunkers where you can drop, grass and chaff to ferment into silage. You can then sell that silage or use it for animals.

[Able Archer]

And, what am I using the MEX 5 on?

(Thanks all--I an glad to see that others have similar questions. If I find time this week, once I have all the facts, I'll look into makng a guide or something.)

[Billy Idle]

I think what will help you best is to watch some of the Youtube videos on how to do the things you want. EXAMPLE 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IluLPjm_0Y

EXAMPLE2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjfAYj6HOOU

Search youtube for videos answering your other questions. It will help you.