Suburban Skyview: Harvesting corn in Kane County

Farmers are busy this time of year harvesting corn and soybeans, much of it in northern Illinois.

Kane County is home to more than 333,000 acres of farmland and boasts some of the most fertile soil in the state. About a quarter of that land is used for corn, which is harvested in October and ground up into grain. Farms range in size, on average using about 280 acres, according to the Kane County Farm Bureau.

Sean Trowbridge has 1,650 acres and was photographed from about 125 feet above his Case 2580 combine as he harvested a 75-acre field southwest of Burlington last week. The combine cuts off the corn stalk close to the ground and separates the grain by beating and shaking it loose from the plant.

The grain travels on a conveyor to a holding tank in the combine while the stalks, husks and cobs are spit out the back of the machine as it travels. The grain is transferred to a larger cart and then again transferred to a waiting semi-truck trailer and taken to a larger storage bin at the farm.

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