History repeats itself, again. John Deere and Hillco Industries have just introduced a new cob-collection system for John Deere STS Combines. The new technology effectively and efficiently cleans and collects cobs with very little impact on harvesting speed and efficiency. According to Scott Jensen, segment manager for John Deere, the machine was developed in response to “the desire for farmers to find efficient methods for on-farm biomass collection.”

“Renewed interest in cob collection has been bolstered primarily by the emerging cellulosic ethanol industry driven by the U.S. Renewable Fuel Standard to support long-term energy security,” says Jensen. “Beyond the grain itself, the cob and husk material retains more energy and nutrient value than the remainder of the corn plant. At this time, the cellulosic ethanol industry appears to be most interested in the cob itself, husk material, and leaf material from the top half of the corn plant.

“An interesting side note,” adds Jensen. “With commercial cob-collection equipment now being developed, the livestock industry is showing renewed interest in using corncobs as a feed additive, nutrient carrier, and ruminant source … or for use as a high-quality animal-bedding material.”

While the terminology certainly may have changed, cob collection might sound familiar to many readers.

Long ago, corn was picked and shelled by hand. Corncobs were saved to use as fuel for heating. Early corn growers also found other uses for the cobs, including corncob pipes, toys, fertilizer, animal feed and bedding, and even jelly. Shelling corn was a farm community affair. Family, friends, and neighbors would gather at a shelling bee, similar to a threshing bee. By raking palms and thumbs across the ears to knock off the corn kernels, shellers would slowly fill buckets with the kernels, and then toss the cobs onto a pile. The work was tedious at best and likely led to many hands that were “rough-as-a-cob.” Then, in the 1800s, mechanical corn shellers were introduced. Farmers could choose from a variety of simple hand-held shellers to more elaborate, bulky units.

Wheel-type shellers appeared as early as 1815. The operator used a hand crank that turned a spiked disk while an ear of corn was pressed against the spikes. Shelled kernels dropped into a con-tainer, and the empty cob was tossed aside. What came next was a true innovation that greatly reduced shelling time and effort. The picker wheel was enclosed in a housing that channeled the ear through the machine. Unfortunately, with those early machines, cobs and kernels fell to the bottom together, requiring extra work to separate the two after shelling. This problem was solved in the

Fall 2010 – Issue #21

THE PLOWSHARENews for John Deere Collectors

New John Deere cob-collection system might be an old story

In the days before combines corn shelling was a family affair on many farms. The pair seen here is working with a John Deere 1B Corn Sheller in 1936.

The John Deere No. 6 Commercial Corn Sheller helped farmers fill their wagons in 1939.

1840s with a design that expelled the cob from the side of the machine while kernels dropped to the bottom.

John Deere also offered mechanical shellers including the hand-operated No. 1 Corn Sheller. Through the years, John Deere and other manufac-turers offered tractor-powered units for larger, commercial uses. Prior to 1955, if a farmer needed to shell a lot of corn for feeding or to sell, a commercial sheller was hired. A farmer might pay from three to five cents a bushel for the sheller’s work, a significant expense at the time. Then in 1955, John Deere introduced the No. 10 corn attachment for the Model 45 Self-Propelled Combine. For the first time, corn could be “threshed” the same as wheat, oats, or soybeans. A farmer could pick, shell, and clean up to 20 acres of corn a day in a single operation. There were additional advantages as well: a significant reduction in field losses, the ability to harvest more acres in a day, less storage space needed, and the elimination of costs for a commercial corn sheller. On a commercial level, the versatile corncob’s usefulness was now reduced to field residue.

Now, an interesting new market for corn, cobs, and other biomass mate-rials has appeared: ethanol. With the push for less-expensive renewable fuels, corncobs once again are viewed as a valuable commodity.

Enter the Hillco Cob-Collection System for John Deere combines.

“John Deere has partnered with universities and technology companies to develop and field-test a number of potential systems for the collec-tion and transportation of different types of cellulosic materials,” says Jensen. “For producers, we know that key requirements include using existing equipment whenever possible and minimizing any impact on normal harvesting operations. We’ve been working to use advanced technology where appropriate in the development of cost-efficient and agronomically sustainable solutions for on-farm biomass collection.

“The Hillco system gives corn growers excellent flexibility and efficiency in a cob and biomass harvesting system,” notes Jensen. “It features push-button control for turning on and off cob collection; allows for quick, easy changeover between crops; features variable cleaning technology; and uses a rugged, easy-to-dump collection cart that can be towed by the combine or a tractor.

“There’s really not much in common between the old hand shellers and the Hillco Cob-Collection System,” says Jensen. “This system separates and captures the cob after the grain separation and cleaning operation is completed in a self propelled combine operation. The cob collection is completed on a large industrial scale and in a high volume operation.”

And the value of those corncobs? Jensen notes that prices paid for cobs are extremely variable. “The value for cob and material other than cobs (MOC) continues to evolve as demand increases for use in energy production, and livestock feed and bedding, and with other existing markets competing for this resource in the future. Market prices today vary based on supply-and-demand factors and cob and MOC quality. They can be anywhere in the range of $15 to $65 per ton.”

So, once again the corncob has a valuable place in North American agriculture, and now farmers have an efficient way to harvest this new, old crop. And, while we may not see a host of new corncob toys very soon, we’ll truly reap the benefits of using this renewable resource. And, of course, there’s always corncob jelly to enjoy!

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In September, about 1,500 John Deere enthusiasts gathered in Waterloo, Iowa, for the John Deere Fall Fest, a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the introduction of the New Generation of Power, the first four- and six-cylinder John Deere tractors.

The event was held September 9 through 11 at the Cedar Valley Tech Works, the site of the former John Deere tractor assembly plant where the New Generation tractors were initially built. Festivities included a tractor show, John Deere factory tours, live threshing and baling dem-onstrations, a memorabilia auction, vendors, and other events.

More than 60 John Deere collectors helped kick-off the Fall Fest with a tractor parade on September 9. The ride ran from the Cedar Valley Tech Works to the John Deere Waterloo Works, the company’s tractor factory in Waterloo, and back to the Tech Works. During their stop at the Waterloo Works, participants were given a tour of the factory that produces several high-tech John Deere tractor models.

After the parade, the collectors’ tractors were put on display on the Tech Works grounds for other visitors to enjoy throughout the event. Among the displays were a variety of early New Generation tractors, a number of two-cylinder machines, and several new products.

A unique feature of the Fall Fest was a series of seminars about the design of the New Generation tractors, presented by retired engineers who played integral roles in developing the line. They shared their memories of designing and testing these industry-changing machines.

“The stories these engineers told were from a perspective that most people will never know,” said Chris Murray, John Deere product support representative. “You could hear the passion each of them put into the design of these new tractors.”

The seminars covered the development of the New Generation’s engines, hydraulics, transmissions, and chassis, as well as the secrecy that surrounded the seven-year process of tractor design and testing and factory retooling.

New Generation of Power remembered at Fall FestThe seminars gave participants a look at some key points in the history of John Deere tractor production, while tours of the Waterloo Works offered throughout the weekend illustrated the innovation and technol-ogy that’s incorporated into today’s tractors. “This team of engineers changed John Deere and the farming community forever,” said Murray.

Along with those advancements, visitors attending both the seminars and the factory tours might have noticed some similarities between the New Generation machines and current John Deere tractors. “Even 50 years after the introduction of the New Generation, many of the build-ing blocks for those tractors are still found in the most current tractors and engines that John Deere produces today,” said Murray.

The Fall Fest continued on September 10 with a memorabilia auction. Visitors had the chance to pick up their own piece of history at this event that offered something for anyone interested in John Deere. “The bidding was intense and made for a great auction,” said Murray.

One of the biggest attractions at the auction was a John Deere Model E Hit-and-Miss Engine, which sold for $6,750. “The engine sold for a pre- mium, and the winner went home with a nice engine mounted on a rolling truck,” said Murray.

A few unusual items were also up for bids at the auction, including a pair of John Deere underwear made in the early 1980s that sold with a few other pieces of Deere apparel for $110. A prototype of a medallion commemorating the 150th anniversary of John Deere also attracted a lot of attention, as did several sets of John Deere advertisement nega-tive slides.

Fall Fest attendees also had the chance to learn about past farming practices during threshing and baling demonstrations. “The demonstra-tions were a great way to educate people about how farmers incorpo-rated mechanization on their farms in the early 1900s,” said Murray.

During the demonstration the John Deere thresher was run by three men and powered by a John Deere Model G. After the threshing was

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John Deere fan wins customized 4020After visiting John Deere dealerships around the United States as part of the Drive Green Utility Tractor Show, a one-of-a-kind 4020 now has a permanent home.

Harold Beaver, Hiddenite, North Carolina, was recently named the win-ner of a John Deere 4020 customized by Chip Foose, an internationally recognized automotive designer and fabricator. Beaver was selected from tens of thousands of entries from thousands of John Deere deal-ers who participated in the Big Buck Sweepstakes that ended June 30.

Beaver picked up the keys to the unique tractor during a recent event at John Deere Waterloo Works, in Waterloo, Iowa. As the grand prize winner of the John Deere Big Buck Sweepstakes, Beaver also met and talked with Foose at the event.

Beaver filled out the winning entry at James River Equipment, a John Deere dealership in Statesville, North Carolina, while getting parts for a lawnmower.

“The Big Buck display caught my attention because I’m a huge fan of Chip Foose and his ‘Overhaulin’ television show, and I really admire the automotive design work he does,” Beaver said. “When someone from John Deere called to tell me I’d won, I couldn’t believe it and had to call the local dealer just to make sure it was real.”

“I plan to keep it and show it off to friends and neighbors,” said Beaver. “I think it’s a real work of art, and I’m going to enjoy having it and driving it around the farm.”

In addition to the customized 4020 Tractor, John Deere gave away three Gator™ XUVs as first-place prizes. Recipients of the Gators were: Stephen Hendricks, St. Louis, Missouri; Philip Cripe, North Manchester, Indiana; and Robert Leis, Togo, Saskatchewan, Canada.

complete, attendees could see the John Deere hay press in action, producing square straw bales. “This showed how a hard job our ances-tors performed is now easily handled by a square baler pulled by an air-conditioned John Deere tractor,” said Murray. “Who says farming can’t be comfortable?”

The Fall Fest also included a banquet modeled after Deere Day in Dallas, the elaborate event where the New Generation tractors were unveiled

to all John Deere dealers from the United States and Canada. During the banquet attendees were treated to a video that caught the reaction of many dealers seeing these tractors for the first time. “This was an exciting time for John Deere dealers in 1960, and the attendees at the banquet were able to relive some of that excitement,” said Murray.

Throughout the Fall Fest guests could also visit a swap meet. Vendors met the needs of a variety of collectors with new products and used parts.

Harold Beaver, winner of the one-of-a-kind 4020, sits behind the wheel of his new tractor for the first time.

Chip Foose and Harold Beaver with the modified 4020.

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Lately as I’ve been getting our house and yard ready for winter, I’ve taken some time to watch our neighbor roll through the fields that surround our house. It made me think back to those years as a young boy on the farm, working with my father and grandfather to harvest the crops.

As my dad milked the cows, my grandfather would grease the machines to get them ready for the next day. My job was to pick up all the ears of corn that had fallen off the elevator on the way to the corncrib. I’d fill a bucket with the ears and then dump them back onto the elevator so they could be stored with the rest of the corn.

I may not be as young as I used to be, but it wasn’t all that long ago that scenes like these were common. Farm families worked together to bring in the harvest, one barge box at a time.

Working with my grandfather was always interesting for me. Often, when we stopped for lunch, he would compare that year’s harvest to his experiences as a young man. He could remember picking and crib-bing 65 bushels a day by hand. “Today we’re going to be able to pick almost 10 acres of corn in the same time,” he would say in his heavy German accent.

I thought about this as I watched my neighbor run his John Deere 9650 STS through the field and knew that if my grandfather were alive today he would be absolutely amazed at the pace of harvesting. My neighbor can harvest my grandfather’s one-day yield in a single minute, not to mention that the kernels are also now shelled from the cob, which was an additional job in my grandfather’s day.

His ear corn eventually found its way into my uncle’s No. 6 John Deere Corn Sheller. It separated the kernels, which were sold at the local grain elevator, from the cobs, which we collected for a variety of uses around the farm — bedding and cob meal, to name two.

Later, when combines replaced corn pickers, the cobs became a by-product that was left in the field along with the stalks. For years, many farmers didn’t use the corncobs for anything, but that’s changing. With corncobs now playing a role in biofuel production, John Deere has introduced a new cob-collection system. While the days of hand-shelling are safely behind us, corncobs might again become a regular product of the harvest. For more on this new system see page 1.

Keep your hand on the throttle and your plow in the ground,

Brian

From us to you: Harvest memories

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THE PLOWSHARE

JOHN DEEREOne John Deere PlaceMoline, Illinois 61265

HeritageMarketing@JohnDeere.com www.JohnDeere.com

You have received this publication due to your relationship with John Deere. The Plowshare is free and is distributed quarterly. If you don’t want toreceive future issues, please call 515-267-3109, and ask to have your name removed from The Plowshare mailing list. We will then stop sending you The Plowshare, but you may continue to receive information about merchandise and upcoming events from John Deere.

Joe Gaspardo, Minonk, Illinois, bought this tractor on an online auction two years ago. “Once I saw the picture of it before it was restored, it was one of those things that I just couldn’t live without,” said Gaspardo.

Deciding to purchase it was easy, but bringing the tractor home was a little more difficult. Gaspardo bought the machine from a dealership about three blocks away from O’Hare Airport in Chicago. “With a three-quarter-ton pickup truck and a 26-foot trailer, handling Chicago traffic was a big challenge,” he said.

According to Gaspardo, before he bought it, the tractor spent most of its time working in a Chicago cemetery mowing grass and doing light utility work.

The 40 Utility Industrial is one of several privately owned tractors cur-rently on display at the John Deere Pavilion in Moline, Illinois. If you’re interested in showing your tractor at the Pavilion and sharing your con- nection to John Deere heritage with visitors from around the world, please submit a display application at www.JohnDeereAttractions.com

Currently on display at the John Deere Pavilion: 1955 40 Utility Industrial

Joe Gaspardo’s 40 Utility Industrial can be seen at the John Deere Pavilion in Moline, Illinois.