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Harvesting
The crop beings to flower four to five weeks after sowing and continues to flower and produce seed until freeze up. The crop should be swathed prior to a killing frost at a stage when in appears the crop will produce the largest seed yield. A killing frost on a standing crop results in considerable harvest difficulty plus yield loss due to shattering and lodging. Swathing is sometimes made difficult by the succulent nature of the stalks. Research conducted in Canada indicates the optimum time for swathing to obtain maximum yields is when flowering is near completion and about 25 percent of the seeds are still green. If shattering becomes severe, the crop should be swathed immediately. The crop should be swathed in the morning when the crop is wet with dew or in damp periods to avoid seed shattering. Stalks are succulent and require considerable time to dry. A frost while the crop is in the swath speeds drying.
Buckwheat is threshed with a combine set at a cylinder speed of 600-800 rpm. Care must be taken in threshing or cracking can result. If excessive cracking or hulling occurs, decreased cylinder speed or wider concave clearance may be necessary. Buckwheat can be stored safely at 13 percent moisture content for long term storage. For shorter term shortage when environmental conditions are cool (under 50 degrees Fahrenheit), buckwheat can be stored at 16 percent moisture or less. If the crop must be dried, the maximum drying temperature is 110 F. Never under any circumstances mix old crop and new crop buckwheat, as market grades differ, and market discounts or loss of contract may occur.
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