[9520deere]

Started combining peas and am going to run out of bins with aeration. When are peas dry to store without air? Can they be fanned down and then moved to a bin without air? Can they stay without fanning after dry?

 

[Northern Farmer]

What size of bins are you planning on putting them in ?. If the bins are not too large I would think it safe for not too long a term storage to first dry/cool them down to a reasonable level ( I believe 14% is actually considered dry for good storage ) as we used to combine at around 16% and put them in small bins that had aeration but all we were doing was running the fans at night for a few nights to get that sweat out of them and yes that would dry them a bit in the process. That to us seemed to be the major issue, the sweat they would go through and if we had large underdone seeds rolling down the pile as it filled the bin and went up against the outside wall of the bin, that was the worst. We haven't grown them now for some years but I guess if it were me I would be trying to take the conditioned/cooled peas out of the aeration bins you have and put into non air storage and that will get them turned in the process ... then put in your current combined ones directly into aeration to get the sweat out of them.

 

[victory]

Grain air tubes work very well too. Peas will keep well once they are dry. You want to have them cooled down though. Peas can quite easily be 30C or warmer on a hot harvest afternoon.

 

[victory]

How clean are they?

This makes a huge difference. If they are clean, very little problems. If they are dirty with weed seeds, very poor air movement, and asking for trouble, even on air. If no bin spreader, the weed seeds will stay nicely in the center of the bin. Not good!

 

[9520deere]

Have them coming off the combine at 10-12% Going into an air bin and fanning during the day to cool. Everything is 14ft 2200bus hoppers.

 

[BrianTee]

That size of bin you can put them in at even 18 if pretty clean and leave the door open and they will self aerate. Stick your face over the top and you can feel all the air leave for free (and way less splits moving)

At 10 - 12 you can store them anywhere in almost any reasonable size bin.