Windrow Harvesting

a method of harvesting grain crops that consists of two stages: mowing the grain and laying it in windrows for drying and curing, and picking up the windrows and threshing. Windrowers and grain-harvesting combines are used to mow the grain crops, and the windrows are picked up and the grain threshed by grain-harvesting combines with pickup attachments. With the windrow method, the harvest can begin during the stage of wax ripeness, that is, earlier than with direct combine harvesting.

With windrow harvesting, grain loss is reduced and the grain is of higher quality owing to a lower moisture and weed content. Windrow harvesting is the chief method used for harvesting grain crops in the USSR and other countries.