If it’s not already, it will be go-time for farmers across the country in just a matter of days farmers gear up for another pass at a successful crop.
In order to maximize harvest, they need to first minimize mistakes at planting.
“The ultimate goal of this planter is to perform well in the field and achieve what we would call a good ear count and good uniformity,” said Missy Bauer with B&M Crop Consulting. “What drives that are picket fence stands and photocopied plants and ears.”
Bauer says that all starts with good planter preparation and making sure everything is in working order before leaving the shop.
“We really need to make sure that while the planter is here in the shop this time of year that we get things set up right and have everything working as well as we can,” said Bauer. “We need those adjustments made so that when we do head to the field, we have our best opportunity {to succeed}.”
David Moeller works on and builds planters in Washington Country, Iowa.
“The big thing is getting a return on investment,” said Moeller. “Everybody wants to have a little bit of kickback and obviously there are different attachments.”
All of those different attachments mean there are plenty of new things to retrofit or replace.
“The most common thing that we’re adding right now is a hydraulic downforce system,” said Moeller. “Electric drives are a hot commodity as is turn-compensation with fields that have contours.”
He reiterates that all of it comes with an expense, so you have to take and weigh your options against the cost.
Washington County Iowa farmer Michael Vittetoe and his father have been trying new things for a few years. This year they focused on down pressure.
“Our planter is a box planter and so that that gives us variable down pressure based on whether the boxes are full or almost empty,” said Vittetoe. “So, we got into a place where we were chasing our tail with our older setup, whereas now, we’ve got everything actively controlled by hydraulics or air. That takes a lot of that variability out of the equation and lets us do the best job that we possibly can.”
He and many others working to start right so they can end right while winning one furrow at a time.
