Raw Peanut Power
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Cotton, peanuts, and corm - the king crops for Houck Farms in Calhoun County, SC. Corn is the first harvest crop as it matures rapidly, with harvest completed in July. Cotton and peanuts follow and compete for labor assignments and machinery.
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360 degree cab views are necessary to keep things moving. The harvestor buggy pulls alongside the combine to offload the limited reservoir from the peanut combine.
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Once the peanuts are plowed up, they are left on the surface to dry before combining. Farmers rely on a stretch of dry weather to make this possible.
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These farmers can talk and chew gum at the same time. This is a great example of precision big-ag farming. There are only 100 pounds of lost peanuts in 5,000 pounds harvested.
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Tons of dirt pass through these harvesters. Hand attention is only occasionally necessary.
