Much has changed on the Ontario soil conservation front since 1987. No-till farming has been firmly entrenched, most farms in the province now proudly tout their own Environmental Farm Plan, and soil health is recognized as key to a $13 billion food economy that fuels 800,000 jobs. It’s a 30-year journey that Harold Rudy captures… Read more »
Category: Machinery
Northern Strands wins innovation award for bin safety harness design
Climbing on bins is one of the things that you just have to do if you are a farmer. If you do not have to do it yourself, someone who works for you has to do it. Grain bins have evolved over the years, but the same could not be said for fall protection (safety… Read more »
Agricultural Manufacturers of Canada names new executive director
A familiar name in Ontario is stepping in to lead the Agricultural Manufacturers of Canada (AMC). Steve McCabe has been selected by AMC’s board of directors as the organization’s new executive director, it was announced this week. “Our new executive director brings a unique perspective to this pivotal role,” says AMC Board Chair Richelle Andreas. “Steve’s… Read more »
Elmer’s unveils grain cart with improved operator comfort and more capacity
It’s smart to think of the farmer when you’re building equipment for farmers. If equipment is made to work only in fair weather, on flat surfaces, and otherwise perfect conditions, pretty soon the farmer is pulling their hair out because the entire operation has come to a halt over a $12 bearing or a 30… Read more »
Wheat Pete’s Word, Nov 7: Combine mods, cereal rye, and soy storage tips
Let’s start this week’s Word on a super positive note — Peter Johnson is a grandpa for the sixth time! Host Johnson takes that wonderful piece of news as inspiration for this week’s Wheat Pete’s Word and tries to keep it upbeat and positive (meaning, yes, he talks corn, but mostly not, OK?) From winter… Read more »
Corn School: Fine tuning the combine to reduce DON levels
How can growers adjust their combines to reduce vomitoxin levels when harvesting the 2018 crop? RealAgriculture agronomist Peter Johnson has some answers. In this episode of Real Agriculture’s Corn School, Johnson visits with custom combine operator David Killins, of Killins Custom work, at Dorchester, Ontario. Johnson acknowledges that while cleaning corn does help, it’s not… Read more »
4 considerations for choosing the right combine capacity for your farm
Farmers are all about efficiency and productivity as they keep their eyes on profitability. It’s a real accomplishment to make sure you have the right size of equipment for the task at hand. With the cost of machinery and rising interest rates in 2018, this calculation has become even more critical for managing capital purchases… Read more »
OptiDuo feed pusher makes dairy rations more appetizing
Automated feed pushers save time and reduce workload. These robots can free dairy producers from the constant grind of pushing feed back within reach of their animals. It’s a win/win, as having feed within reach of the animals is just part of the recipe for higher feed intake and great milk production, too, notes Gravin… Read more »
Canadian equipment sales slump in September
The Association of Equipment Manufacturers has released its September flash report for new equipment sales. In Canada (shown below), the results continue to be mixed depending on the category. In 2018, 2WD tractors are up 8.0%, 4WD are virtually flat at 0.3% lower, and self-propelled combines are down 4.6% in comparison to the end of… Read more »
Lemken makes a play into camera-AI precision for inter-row cultivation
With pressure building in Europe for a ban on glyphosate, equipment manufacturers are thinking ahead to assist farmers in removing weeds mechanically. LEMKEN recently acquired the Dutch company Machinefabriek Steketee B.V. as a step in expanding its crop care product portfolio with implements for mechanical weed control and future-oriented camera-assisted machine control. “At Agritechnica in… Read more »
Expert shares tips on road safety as harvest slowly wraps up
Although Mother Nature hasn’t been too kind to us, the reality is — harvest is slowly starting to come to an end. This means more equipment will be seen on the roads and highways in the coming weeks. Unfortunately, there have been multiple crashes across Canada involving farm equipment and regular motorists lately. Rob Gobeil, safety… Read more »
Tips for setting up a new grain dryer
It’s the middle of October and there is a lot of harvest yet to do in the Prairie Provinces. Many farmers got off to an early start, progress was ahead of schedule, and then things ground to a halt. No one knows for sure, but back of the envelope estimates conservatively put the value of… Read more »
Change blades in seconds with new mower-conditioner
Looking to cut your hay close, clean, and quick while conditioning it for faster dry down and nutrient preservation? If that’s the plan, it may be time to take a closer look at New Hollands’s new Discbine 209 and 210 disc mower-conditioners. The side-pull mowers were rolled out at the recent Farm Progress Show at Boone, Iowa…. Read more »
Chipping your tractor can come with big consequences
Whether it’s race cars, motorbikes, or tractors, horsepower is about bragging rights, power, and speed. Most farmers appreciate a little more horsepower when they need it to get the job done. Additionally, farmers tend to have a natural talent for alterations to machinery to improve effectiveness. Some after-market changes are encouraged and do not have a downside,… Read more »
Wheat School: Tips for dealing with tough grain in a cold, wet harvest
The phone is ringing off the hook at PAMI. Some very difficult questions are being asked by farmers as a result of the late harvest and the cool, damp weather. There are no easy answers, of course, but luckily PAMI has done a lot of research over the years and although they can’t change the… Read more »