Plus we'll need a bigger fuel tank...

Cellulosic ethanol may be gaining on us. Researchers at Iowa State have adulterated a perfectly good combine to harvest stover.

Presumably, the product would be sold to an ethanol production facility. However, a few questions spring to mind:

1. How much horsepower will this baby suck up chopping husks and stalks?
2. How far will a silage wagon get you through the field?
3. Why didn't this guy choose his hybrid for stalk strength (note the reel)?
4. How are you going to store this stuff? And keep it from spontaneously combusting?
   
5. Why not bale it?
6. I suppose we can sell our grain carts, since we'll be stopping every through or round anyway.

These inventions remind me of the all-in-one tillage/spray/plant contraptions of the 70's. I think experience has shown us that dedicated machines making multiple passes are a superior idea.

Besides, once you have harvested at 7 mph. you are not going back to 3.