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Yellow Peas

6K views 18 replies 15 participants last post by  Ridge 
#1 ·
My father and his father before him have grown spring wheat all there lives. I am trying to talk my father into crop rotations with peas but he says we need all different equipment. Says we need a flex header for our case 1660 combine and a roller. We do have a 20 foot self propelled versatile swather and reasonably level land. Can we not swath peas and pick them up? Do we need to have a roller right off the start ? Thanks in advance for any help or advice.
 
#3 ·
Probably easier to start with canola or mustard as a crop rotation than peas.


If you grow peas, you can often rent land rollers. Not sure a versatile swather will work on peas. The opening is pretty small on the versatile. In year 1, you could swath the ripe peas right in front of the combine. There will be some loss, but acceptable for a year or 2. Ideally a flex header or draper would be nice.
 
#4 ·
If you roll your land, on most years you dont need a flex header, just pickup reels. I never use my flex in flex mode anymore on peas.

But there will be that one year in 10 when a rain pounds them into the dirt and flex might be useful.

Also, lots of risk in swathing peas. No stubble to hold them down in a wind.
 
#6 ·
Combined peas for years with an 810 header with a pick-up reel. A 1010 header with a pick-up reel would be better, especially if it has fore\aft. This was only on a few hundred acres a year tho. When we started growing more acres we upgraded to a draper header. As everyone else has said they need to be rolled, and rollers can be rented. I rent one from a neighbor.
 
#7 ·
Not sure why everyone makes such a big deal about swathing peas-weve been growing them for 15-20 years and first got a straight cut this year, many guys in our area do the same as well. Also cut peas for years with our versatile 4400, wasnt as nice as using the pickup reels on the machines we have now, but it can be done. If you dont have a lot of rocks, you can get away with harrow packing instead of rolling.
 
#9 ·
I wouldnt swath them, way too much risk of grade loss, if your looking for something other than feed. Rolling is essential to keep rocks out of your combine, don't skip that. A flex head is not required, a 30ft draper even a low cutting auger head would be just fine. Just look for a variety that stands tall, they are not like soybeans that pod on the ground. Some years peas stand so nice you cut them like wheat and the next you scrape them off the ground with lifters.
 
#10 ·
Easy to get a roller, with the amount of pulses somebody will rent you one. Did peas for the first time using a ridged auger header worked great, only issue I cut as high as I could. Tried to seed fall rye in there, could not get drill through pea stubble. Took cultivator out, got through but **** what a mess, big clumps. Not sure how guys get though it, maybe high speed disk? Guess ill leave it and deal with it in spring
 
#12 ·
Not sure what kind of header you have? We used to have a 1010 & 1020, then just only ever used the 1020 and pinned it up for wheat. Trade your ridged for a flex, and rent a roller. Tell your dad he's to old and rich to make good financial decisions, you are most likly young and poor like me, and need every acre to pay. It's easy to get into the comfort zone when you have lots of money.
 
#16 ·
I have swathed and straight cut, have much better quality straight cutting. This year even straight cut some stuff that wasn't sprayed and it stood the best. The rest was flat af. Now have 12" snow on some that looks like feed befor the snow and it was already flat. Crop lifters and pickup reel are your friends.
 
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