Rust is one of those things that forms when metal is left exposed to the elements for a prolonged period of time, particularly moisture like rain, snow and dew. You’ll notice that a moist metal surface will oxidize before corrosion shows itself as discolored and peeling, flaky patches—this is rust. Or course, the best way to prevent rust is to protect metal surfaces from the rain, but this is not always possible. For instance, you may have a lack of adequate storage space, or your machinery may have broken down out in the field just before a rainy period.
So what should you do if you encounter rust? It’s easy enough to order a ton of commercially produced rust remover solution, but if you’re in the agricultural industry, you need to be cautious about how you remove rust from farm machinery and equipment, because you want to avoid contaminating your field crop with poisonous, toxic products. Here are a few natural ways to remove rust from cotton picker parts without using harsh chemicals:
Use abrasive tools: Since there’s rust somewhere on your machinery, thin flakes of chafing metal are likely to be present, as well as a classic reddish-brown substance. Whether the metal is rusted deep or the rust is only just forming, these flakes should be rubbed off prior to cleaning. Simply take a rough tool—like steel wool, a lump of tin foil, sandpaper or a rust-free wire brush—and scrub the rust away.
Use a baking soda paste: Many homeowners are familiar with the cleaning power of baking soda, but not everyone knows that it’s also great for eliminating rust. Mix baking soda with water to create a paste mixture thick enough to adhere to the rusted surface. Apply to the problem area and let it sit for several minutes. Now, use one of the aforementioned abrasive tools and scrub. Wipe off any remaining paste to see if you need to repeat the process.
Use white vinegar: Your cotton picker parts may benefit from a cleansing white vinegar bath to remove rust. Like baking soda, pure white vinegar is a common household cleaning product that’s both cheap and natural, in that it does not contain toxic chemicals. To use, pour over spots of rust on metal surfaces or screws, bolts or joints and make sure to rinse well with water. Note that since vinegar is acidic enough to dissolve rust, that also means it’s strong enough to damage metal, so you must rinse thoroughly.
Use a potato slice: Here’s one you might not know about: you can actually use a slice of potato to remove rust from your farm equipment. This method is better for smaller rust spots or hard to reach spaces—like in between close joints—and it’s even good for preventing small areas of rust from spreading. Although the potato’s oxalic acid is enough to help dissolve rust, you can boost its efficiency by sprinkling a little salt or baking soda onto the slice, and then rubbing it all over the rusted spot.
If you are in the market for replacement cotton picker parts or parts for a cotton harvester rebuild, or if you need tips about maintaining your equipment, contact the team at Certi-Pik, USA before looking anywhere else.
Harvesting cotton comes with its own wide array of challenges—like dealing with machine failures and mold growth on crops—and all we can do is make sure we are as prepared as possible for any scenario. Though there isn’t much we can do to stop freak equipment failures or natural weather events, what we can do is take steps to ensure there aren’t preventable hazards present during the harvesting process. To avoid damage to cotton harvester parts, here are some things you should consider before firing up the combine and heading out to the field.
Wayward debris
Nothing will put your harvester out of commission faster that scooping up a wayward tool or piece of debris misplace in the field. You’re likely familiar with the expression that something has “thrown a wrench in the works”—well, tools and debris can cause significant damage to mechanical parts and put a stop to any work that might have been possible. Even flexible things like rope and wire can be incredibly damaging to your equipment. Whether you misplaced a roll of baling wire or left an extension cord out, a harvester won’t fair well if it discovers debris in the field.
Animals and insects
While wild animals and pesky insects may wander into your cotton fields because of natural curiosity, they can also be in the way during the cotton picking process. Not only can wildlife wreak havoc on cotton plants—by crushing crops, removing matured cotton or spreading disease—they can end up in the way as the machines roll through. Cotton harvester parts may need replacing after running over an unseen animal or a swarm of bugs. Luckily, most growers work hard to maintain pest-free fields, avoiding such hazards altogether.
Severe weather
As with any crop, weather can be your best friend or your worst enemy. With cotton, moisture introduced after bolls mature can cause mold and result in a damaged crop. In expansive and flat fields, lightning can be a real danger for equipment operators and field crews. The large metal attachments and tractors are the perfect conductors for electricity. So remember, in an open field, you and your machine are the highest point and the perfect target for lightning. Be sure to keep an eye on the forecast to make sure everyone makes it back home safe and sound.
Vehicle maintenance
Just like your daily work vehicle, your combines, harvesters and balers need to be kept in tip-top shape. During the offseason, starting them regularly and checking all electrical systems can help avoid frustration and breakdowns during harvest time. If equipment has been sitting idle for months waiting for the harvest, they can stand to go through a thorough maintenance inspection before putting them to use. Also, check all vital fluids and change the oil in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations.
If you are in the market for new cotton harvester parts, give the team at Certi-Pik, USA a call today. From aluminum picker bars to stalk lifters, we keep in stock only the best quality replacement parts made by top manufactures in the industry, including CNH, John Deere and Case IH.
Cotton growers must maintain not only their crop fields, but their machines’ cotton picker parts as well. How else would cotton get harvested fast these days? Once picked, the cotton gets stored or packed and shipped, and sent on a journey to its final destination. When we think about cotton, the first thing that generally springs to mind is clothing—the necessities like t-shirts, underwear and denim jeans. But the reach of the cotton industry extends far beyond just making sure we have clothes on our backs. It also extends into the medical, hospitality and cosmetic industries.
Here’s a look at six cotton-reliant industries you likely hadn’t thought to consider:
Medical and dental: From the gauze our dentist shoves into our mouth while drilling cavities to the gowns hospital patients wear during their exams, cotton plays a major role. Its versatility and usefulness makes it an ideal material for the medical and dental industries. Additionally, it makes its way into the gauze wrappers that are placed on wounds and even the curtains that separate hospital beds. Cotton is also used in x-ray machines.
Personal hygiene and cosmetics: Believe it or not, cotton and the oil squeezed from its seeds (called cottonseed oil) is used in the production of a wide range of personal products. Soaps include cottonseed oil, as do a host of pharmaceutical products and cosmetics. Tampon companies rely on cotton as a backbone staple for their product, and Q-tips and facial pads are also heavily cotton reliant.
Food: Interestingly enough, the fluffy blossomed plant we know as cotton also plays a role in our kitchens. Being that the cotton plant is also grown for ingestion purposes, it’s important for cotton farmers to keep cotton picker parts clean to avoid contamination. Cottonseed oil is a major ingredient in the popular shortening Crisco, and it is also a common cooking oil and ingredient in things like margarine. Outside of these possibly unexpected uses, the oil is also used in the production of potato chips, breads and other snack foods.
Pest control: Even though people can eat cottonseed oil, farmers have actively used it to control the populations of unwanted pests, like insects and mites. To these creatures, cottonseed oil is a deadly toxin.
Painting and home care: Did you know paint and certain waterproof sealants include the byproducts of cotton? Unsurprisingly, the canvas tarps so popular with professional painters are also made of cotton. Just looking at cotton picker parts harvesting the fluffy puffs, odds are, you never thought about what comes of cotton byproducts—now you know!
Hospitality: From the uniforms and mops used to clean the kitchen to the tablecloths and bed sheets, cotton products play an unmistakable role in the hospitality industry. While cotton is not the only option available to industries like this, the availability and versatility of the plant makes it an ideal material for a wide range of products.
The cotton producing industry is a fascinating one, for sure. As a cotton grower, remember that when your cotton harvester needs replacement cotton picker parts, Certi-Pik, USA is the company to turn to. Contact us today!
The cotton plant is one of the most intriguing and interesting agricultural staples out there for a number of reasons. Not only is the cotton plant flower beautiful to observe for nearly its entire maturation cycle, it’s also interesting in how it develops from bloom to the final open boll. But when does cotton bloom, and what does the cotton plant life cycle look like? Let’s take a look at each stage of the cotton plant’s development, starting with the initial bloom.
Cotton Plant Growth Stages: From Bloom to Harvest
It all starts with a white flowering bloom that signals the first of many steps to come. The flower is usually small and simple: pure white with a few segments of petals that open. White flowers will usually only stick around for about 24 hours or so, so if you’re interested in catching this short-lived stage, it’s important to pay close attention to your field on a daily basis! And while this stage may come and go quickly, at this point, we’re a long way from cotton harvesting!
Once the white flower blooms, it self pollinates. In just the matter of a day, that white flower will become a pink color and will continue to open fully. The end result of this stage is a flower that’s generally a vibrant fuchsia color or even a near-purple hue. This stage can last another couple of days, but typically it’ll only be something you’ll see for another 24-36 hours.
At this next stage, the once beautiful cotton flower is going to quickly wither and die. It’ll shrivel up, turn brown and start to flake or fall off. Don’t worry, your cotton plant isn’t dying! Instead, it’s going through a major transformation as the boll begins to take shape. If you have an especially windy day or grow in a drier climate, you’re liable to find your field absolutely littered with dead blooms as the bulk of your field matures in sync.
As the developing boll grows larger and larger, it’ll eventually turn from green to purple to brown. When it reaches the pinnacle of its size, the bracts dry and the boll itself cracks open. Over time, the bracts will continue to pull apart until the cotton becomes exposed.
Finally, we have the open boll! A fully opened boll will look like a different kind of bloom—instead of petals opening up, however, you’re going to have cotton fiber spilling out. It’s at this point that harvest is usually immanent.
And so you have it: the life cycle of a cotton plant, from bloom to harvest! Anyone who has cropped cotton in the past is likely very familiar with each stage above, but it’s nice to see them laid out simply and thoroughly.
Final Thoughts on the Stages of Cotton Growth
As a final note, make sure you’re using the lifespan of your cotton plants to your advantage. During the early stages of maturation, be sure to check over your cotton harvester parts, make any tune-ups to your harvester and be sure to run through startup services. By adhering to the cycle of the cotton plant, you’ll ensure you’re ready to harvest when the bulk of your field crop has reached its final stage and the open bolls are ready to be picked.
Looking for replacement cotton picker parts for your harvester? At Certi-Pik, USA, we offer the best aftermarket parts at great prices to keep your cotton picker up and running. Contact us today for more information.
Modern cotton picker parts and innovative picker models have come a long way in a short time. If you’ve been growing cotton for more than a few decades, you know that even as recently as the 1970s and 1980s, cotton harvester equipment was wildly inefficient—it’s only through today’s modern technologies that we’ve been able to raise the total yield rates of fields as high as 95-97%!
But, today’s high crop yields are more than just a product of great cotton picker parts—they’re also the result of better cropping techniques and a forethought to increasing total yield. Sure, cotton croppers were able to get 95% yield rates even 40-50 years ago, but that was often due to a practice called “scrapping.”
Scrapping is essentially the act of harvesting a field twice, going back after an initial harvest to clean up any leftover bolls in order to drive the best yield rates possible. The problem with scrapping, however, is that it’s a wildly inefficient way of driving up your yield. Take a look at four reasons you should avoid scrapping:
First and foremost, scrapping is wildly inefficient in terms of fuel. Going through your fields a second time is going to use twice as much fuel… however you’re going to get a minuscule fraction of the harvest in return. Save your fuel and don’t scrap: you’ll end up costing yourself more in the long run.
After your initial harvest, going back through your field to scrap can have very serious ramifications on soil impaction. Especially if you have drainage tile or in-ground irrigation in place, you could be putting unnecessary strain on these features with a second run-through of your field.
Scrapping puts excess wear on your cotton picker parts, even if they’re not being actively engaged in the capacity they were during the first harvest. Spindles can still break, doffers can still become compounded with debris, etc. Putting excess wear on your cotton picker parts is a good way to cost yourself more money than you’re making scrapping.
Scrapping is time consuming! Going back and essentially re-harvesting sections of your fields takes a lot of time, which could be better spent elsewhere. Time absolutely equals money, so every spare hour you’re scrapping is money down the drain, which isn’t likely to be recouped by your secondary harvest.
Scrapping for yield might seem like a great idea in theory, but in practice it falls far short of its intended benefits. Instead, take a look at a few ways you can ensure superior yield through your first harvest, eliminating the need for scrapping:
Observe your crop development and plan for a single harvest at peak maturation.
Keep your harvester and its equipment in top working order.
Have a harvest plan and path in place that maximizes picking.
Use proper picking and baling techniques that minimize crop loss.
Gone are the days of mandatory scrapping to get every last little bit of your yield! Instead, give some of the above tips some thought and work to maximize your yield on the first and only harvest you’ll need this year.
