[tascowboy]

Case IH 2388 with 30ft front waiting to start into poppies, from a few years back (think it was 2001 or 2002)

 

[tascowboy]

Heading poppies with the same machine, on another property that same season (this crop ended up being the #1 crop for that district, in that season.

 

[tascowboy]

On another property, with the same machine. Unloading in this one.

First there was one....

 

[tascowboy]

.....then there were two LOL

 

[tascowboy]

No Ralf (what you can see in the foreground is a water weed called cumbungi).

here is a photo of poppies in flower

 

[tascowboy]

The same paddock at stripey capsule stage (ripening off)

 

[tascowboy]

Harvesting the same crop.

 

[combiness]

Quote:No Ralf (what you can see in the foreground is a water weed called cumbungi).


We call those "cattails" in North America. All parts of the plant are edible, too.

 

[tascowboy]

Ok,

They are a water weed here, grow in ponds & dams mostly.

The poppies we grow produce morphine and other alkaloids, associated with pain relief.

Regards,

TC.

 

[combiness]

Hmmm.....now you say those are the classic opium poppies. Gee whiz! Earlier, you said those were the culinary poppy seeds. personally, I'll take the culinary ones.

I'm just glad the combines are not affected by opiates and alkaloids. LOL!

 

[tascowboy]

The seed is used for culinary purposes (no alkaolids / drugs in the seed) but the rest of the capsule & some of the straw contains the alkaloids. Opium poppy isnt really a "true technical" term (the poppy produces opium when it is green but we harvest ours dry). I guess you could call them morphine poppies (although there are 2-3 other main types, namely Thebaine & Noscapine).

 

[combiness]

Okay, I've heard of both those varieties. However, I had always thought the chief amount of the drug part, came from the seeds, not the pod or herbage. Now this is really quite interesting.

 

[tascowboy]

There might be minute traces in the seed but not enough to cause you any harm. In a normal poppy casule (or head) there is approx 1 dose of morphine.

 

[ralf]

Is poppies related to sorghum?

 

[bushel]

Quote:
Harvesting the same crop.

great images!!! interesting those differnt ways to harvest!!

 

[tascowboy]

Yes, mostly forage harvesters used but combines were used when the crops were lodged or where crops were grown on raised beds.

 

[bushel]

how high do they cut the stuff ?
is it so much easyer to clean the stuff in the yard??

 

[tascowboy]

When done with combines it is cut low, when done with foragers it is cut higher (average crop is waist to shoulder height before harvest). With the forager, you are only taking the capsule (Seed head) + a minimum of straw (say 20 -30 cm / 8-12 inches).

The crop is taken to the processing factory, from the harvester (no cleaning or processing is done on farm),

Regards,

TC.

 

[bushel]

really interesting crops for farming !!

what are the prices that a farmer will get per acre?

or what is the yield and the price, just if you know

 

[tascowboy]

Bushel,

Prices / returns arent as good now as they were a few years ago. Some crops returned (GROSS) $3500 - $4500 / Hectare (AUST $) this year but generally below this (due to frosts & the drought). Nett figures (less variable input costs) would be AUS $1000 - $2000 / Ha ($400 - $800 / acre).

The crop yields 1.5 - 2.5 tonnes / ha up to 4 tonnes / ha.

Regards,

TC.