Combine automation promises to adjust your settings, manage grain losses and keep harvest moving. So why do I sometimes switch it off? In episode two of the Narrain Grain Podcast, I share my experience with Case IH Harvest Command and John Deere’s automation systems—where they’ve worked well, where they’ve struggled, and why knowing your combine still matters. We get into rotor and sieve losses, feed rate control, camera-based automation, and what happens when the computer makes an adjustment that works in one patch but costs you grain in the next. I also discuss big combines in light, frosted crops, why front width can become the limiting factor, and the trade-offs between tracks and wheels. These are my experiences in our paddocks, across wheat, barley, canola and corn. The settings and systems change, but the central question stays the same: can you recognise when the automation needs a hand? If you’re listening from the header or tractor, share this episode with a mate and let me know how automation has worked on your farm.
Find our farm videos on YouTube at Narrain Grain.
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