Win the Furrow: Making the Planter "Dance" Can Help Farmers Achieve Higher Yields

Technology continues to march forward and, as Farm Journal Field Agronomist Ken Ferrie points out, managing the furrow has never been easier, as long as you take time to dial things in. 

Farmers have more technology on corn planters compared to what dad or grandpa had. Like the ability to sense a smooth ride and ground contact. 

The Beauty of Ag Tech

"We know when a planters coming out of the ground. But now we have the ability to change that so we can add downforce," says Ferrie. "Plus, a lot of our planters today can take ground force off as we're planting our plots."

Ferrie says during spring planting farmers need to teach the planter to dance.

"As you watch the monitors, you realize this corn planters actually lifting row units to decrease downforce, which we couldn't do in older planters," says Ferrie. "Now we can plant side rows in marginal conditions that would have been considered too bad in the past—we can dance through there with the planter."

According to Ferrie, today's planters will carry themselves in difficult spots and use downforce where it needs in order to maintain depth.

"It's very welcome technology because the most important pass we're going to make is in the planter, and I'm enthused to see the industry spend money on making that pass better and better," he says.

Your First Ag Tech Rodeo

With all this technology comes a responsibility to make sure it's working correctly. Ferrie says his experience shows that's even more difficult for the older generation.

"The older generation within our farmer base spent so much time on their knees in the planter because they didn't have this technology," says Ferrie. "And we also get the opposite, where we have somebody that relies totally on that technology in the monitor. But it isn't until the crop comes up, they realize that something wasn't right."

The first year with new tech is the hardest, according to Ferrie.

"Once you get the crop planted in your first pass, you have to inspect that furrow," he says, "You have to do cross sections across that furrow, look for the seed, the soil, contact, depth control and angulation."

Row by Row

Ferrie says this process should be repeated on multiple rows to make sure the monitor reflects what you're seeing in the field.

"The monitor may be able to tell you you're having issues and you may be able to go back there and verify it. But sometimes, even if the monitor says things are right, you need verification out the back before you roll through large amounts of acres and you find out you have a problem."

More from Ferrie:

Ferrie: Here’s What the Textbook Photo Finish Looks Like in Corn
Ken Ferrie Shares 6 Harvest Prep Tips
Ferrie: ID Your Agronomic Issues to Grow More Bushels