The harvest is in and hopefully you're pleased with the yield, but it’s not ready for the mill or grain store yet - until the crop is dried and cleaned (which needs to happen soon after harvest) it won't be fit for human consumption. Here is an overview of important considerations for the on-farm processing of the harvest, including records you may wish to keep at this point.  

The second part of this chapter looks at storage. It is likely you’ll be wanting to process your harvest little by little, over the course of the year, until the next harvest. Whilst grains and pulses are incredibly stable in comparison to perishable fruits and products requiring refrigeration, they still need some TLC and are susceptible to issues such as moisture, mites and other pests.

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5. Care of the Crops

Here we explore the following aspects of caring for your crops:

5.1 Drying and Cleaning 
5.1.1 Cleaning Considerations
5.1.2 Drying Options
5.1.3 Factors Affecting Drying
5.2 Storage    
  5.2.1 Vermin Prevention Methods      
5.2.2 Storage Options (For Dried Crops)      
5.2.3 Gluten Free
5.3 Crop Quality & Measuring
5.3.1 Pathogen Testing
5.3.2 Visual Inspection
5.3.3 Smell Inspection
      5.3.4 Determining Moisture Content
5.4 Infestations and Crop Care
      5.4.1 Good Hygiene Practice is Imperative
5.4.2 Factors for Healthy Grain Storage
5.5 Monitoring Considerations