A combine header comprising a header table with a knife extending along the front lower edge thereof. Seed pans are evenly spaced and extend forward from the front lower edge of the header table and slot is formed between them. At a middle portion of each slot a stripping plate slopes upward, outward, and rearward from a middle first point on a first one of the sidewalls forming the slot to an upper stripping edge of the stripping plate. The upper stripping edge is located above a top rear edge of a second one of the sidewalls forming the slot and aligned with same such that a vertically oriented stripping gap is formed between the upper stripping edge of the stripping plate and the top rear edge of the second one of the sidewalls. A rotating reel moves material from the seed pans rearward onto the header table.