Combining Red Clover Seed(Certified Organic)with Allis Chalmers 72 All-Crop

[@diytips4028]

Thanks for sharing. My dad harvested a lot of wheat and red clover seed with his.

[@bradhill5415]

Great video and illustration.

[@LVFFarmVlogs]

I find this very interesting, because Med. Red Clover seed has doubled in price in the last 5 years... Red clover has been a real game changer on my farm, sure its harder to get dry for hay, but with a modern bale wrapper its not as much a issue.. I want to plant more red clover with my winter rye for nitrogen fixation to help feed the following corn crop. To be able to harvest our own seed would sure be nice! not sure if my Deere 4400 will do it with out to many mods!

[@GeigerFarm]

So one main thing about organic and sustainability (cost and local adaptation) is that you produce your own seed. Find an old combine and use it just for clover and alfalfa. It is too much trouble to switch back and forth. There are still ACs all over the midwest that can be bought for a song--you just might need several for parts machines! Our neighbors use everything from an AC 60 up to an IH 2388, including old gleaners. You just gotta use a lot of duct-tape to seal the gleaners!

[@fritopg285]

Do you have to replant the clover every year? would you normally just bail it? sorry new to this idea

[@bbruce995]

@@GeigerFarm i find that the old machines last much longer than the new ones, im still wondering why we have not gone back to that old style of building things, to last a lifetime... time for someone to bring back the past machines, built by our own people in our own communities

[@randymaylowski2485]

Yeah red clover is a good feed for the animals only thing we don't like about it which probably same for everyone else, is the stalks get to tough and it's hard to dry it down good for hay..lol but for the most part it's a good plant. Other than that nice looking old fashioned conbine, looks good condition.

[@GeigerFarm]

Thank you! You need good conditioner rolls and three hot dry days 🙂 for good hay! Our neighbors haylage in two days 😉

[@thomasfranklin4307]

Hi! Do your cylinder bars still have rubber on them? I’m fixing up an old All-Crop 72 and it appears there’s not much rubber left in the cylinder. Also, are you using a small sieve for the clover? Last, the grain drag chain and slats are rusted out…would small angle iron work for those slats ? (I’ve found a source for the chain and special tab links) Thanks very much!

[@GeigerFarm]

Yes, my bars have rubber on them, but as I said in another video, this is my last set of good bars. We would but parts machines whenever we could! We use a round hole sieve for the red clover, I think 1/14. I tell you in one of my videos. There was a "combination" screen that worked for alfalfa or red clover, AND the smaller screen which was just for red clover. The smaller one is hard to find. The bigger combination one was very common in our area :(. Lastly, everything on this combine is angle iron...and not very tempered ;). I would think that you could manufacture the bars, OR once again, look for a part machine. The drag slats should be the same on most of them.

[@greenhornhomesteaders8249]

How come you didn’t use your Massey to combine the clover? Are you growing that clover for your own cover crop seed? Do you sell the seed?

[@GeigerFarm]

Yes Paul, clover seed is a cash crop! As a general rule, we produce all of our own seed. The AC does a far better job of combining clover than a Massey.

[@kenmoss2091]

Hi I see that you do a great job with clover seed. I have an AC 72 combine as well with no swather pickup. Do you have any experience with defoliation of the red clover after seed maturity and then direct combine? I cut the first cutting for hay and now have a clean stand of clover blooming 29 days after first cut. Should I cut the second cutting for hay and let the third cutting go to seed then combine? Should I swath it and try to “scoop it up” with the combine head? Thanks for any help?

[@GeigerFarm]

No experience with defoliation as we are organic👍🏻. You can direct cut, but it is more chancy. 2nd cutting is usually the best seed crop. Without a pickup, your only choice is direct 🤔🤔🤷‍♂️. All combines work best with even feed rate. Put air on seed if direct cut…

[@donvoll2580]

Good day. Our neighbor had 60 Ithink. But he had scour kleen on & I thought that's were clover seed came out Long time ago. Thanks.did 72 have rubber on cyl. bars to.

[@GeigerFarm]

Interestingly the 60, 66, and 72 all used the same cylinders and bars. We have several parts machines in order to keep parts available! On this machine, I have balanced the cylinder (use grade 8 bolts) and majorly re-enforced the shaker shoe.

[@donvoll2580]

I was at a auction, allis combine went $125, another sale rd. baler went 1800. Thanks.

[@MjdMike1948]

how do the 72s hold up? I'm about to buy one and I'm little scared of it since this is new territory for me. this one is missing the long part of the auger too, if you may know somebody who can help me out on that I would appreciate the help.

[@GeigerFarm]

Condition/wear is everything!!! They were NOT over-engineered. Having a couple of 66's for spare parts is a good idea. The main concern is an obstruction in the cylinder as the cylinder is relatively light. This is the only AC machine we operate...everything I know was learned the hard way! Good luck

[@MjdMike1948]

OK thanks. It doesn't seem to be in to bad of shape, it does have some wear but it looks good for the most part. I think i know were at least 1 66 is. ill have to go talk to him after i get this one home to see if he will sell it for parts.

[@bbruce995]

MAYBE YOU CAN HELP US ALL, MAKE A VIDEO ON HOW TO INSTALL THAT FRONT PICK UP SYSTEM, THE ONE I HAVE IS OLD AND NOT ON THE MACHINE, I HAVE NO IDEA HOW IT GOES ON

[@GeigerFarm]

Well, the combine is in a dark barn right now...If you search my channel, you will find several different videos of the combine, including the one I made this last year on a few troubles/mods to the AC 72!

[@bbruce995]

do you happen to have a place where we can buy sieves for the different seeds?

[@GeigerFarm]

Contact me via email

[@billshaver1767]

ever harvest swathed crops like flax

[@GeigerFarm]

No, just red clover 👍🏻

[@kennypierson8627]

What are your yields where you are at? 300lbs? 500lbs 1200lbs?

[@GeigerFarm]

@@kennypierson8627 180 to 360#. One time we yielded over 600👍🏻.

[@kennypierson8627]

@@GeigerFarm oh nice! I grow it in Oregon, PNW. Never knew there was much grown elsewhere. I’ve been in your shoes before here. Sometimes we have to combine it when it’s still wet in windrow then dry the seed. It’s no fun but you get it harvested.

[@GeigerFarm]

What are your yields? It grows very well here as forage, but seed is touchy…especially with changing weather patterns🤔

[@kennypierson8627]

@@GeigerFarm first year we average 500-1000lbs depending on how hot it gets and how much rain we get in spring. 2nd year it’s not uncommon to get 1000-1200lbs. Lately guys have been playing around with growth regulators and I’ve heard yields of 1800-2000lbs. I’ve personally never seen a yield that high tho. The bumblebees are the key for us. If the red is planted around wooded areas it does really well usually.

[@GeigerFarm]

@@kennypierson8627 Wow :) that's a lot of seed!🙂

[@chrishedding8758]

it's better to combine this direct cut. and using a haybine shatters the heads so you are actually loosing seed

[@GeigerFarm]

Our environment seldom allows for direct cut (too wet). We also combat weeds, and find that swathing early allows you to avoid contamination. The shattering with the swather is minimized by early cut, with dew on, conditioning rolls open, low rpm's and high ground speed. Ideally, you would swath with draper head...

[@chrishedding8758]

I direct cut this crop with a 66. I have every model of all crop built and this is the only machine I run on my farm. I also do alfalfa with them. where are you located?

[@GeigerFarm]

We are in Eastern Kansas. We only use the AC for legumes as the parts are getting very hard to find.

[@chrishedding8758]

I'm in wisconsin . what parts are you looking for?

[@GeigerFarm]

Not looking for parts...We have 66's for salvage to keep parts for the 72 :)! Brother has a mint model 40 for demo only!

[@robertnymand9889]

That was a dusty job with a open tractor.

[@GeigerFarm]

It was terrible on an open tractor! You would constantly plot how to use a breeze to limit your exposure 😉