John Deere’s new R4023 is set to hit the stage, replacing the 4630 in the 4 Series lineup. The machine weighs in at a little over 18, 000 lbs, with a 600 gallon (2300L) tank and a 60 or 80′ boom. And though it may be smaller than most of its counterparts, it’s no weakling,… Read More
Category: Machinery
Overall farm tractor sales for the month of April in both Canada and the U.S. were up slightly over last year, but combine and 4-wheel-drive tractor purchases remain well off the 2014 sales pace. According to the Association of Equipment Manufacturers’ monthly report, total Canadian farm tractor sales in April 2015 were 3.5 percent higher than in April 2014…. Read More
Chances are, every farmer will hire out work to a custom operator at some point in the their farming career. Whether it’s a high-clearance sprayer to get a fungicide on ASAP, or getting hay done in a tight window, custom operators can save you time, money and maybe a crop, if the weather is working… Read More
All the New Holland dealerships in Manitoba will soon operate under the same banner as Brandon-based Mazergroup has announced plans to acquire Southeastern Farm Equipment in Steinbach. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but it’s expected to close on July 1st. “All of us at Mazergroup are excited about adding such a reputable… Read More
Tillage, seeding and fertilizer application equipment manufacturer Salford Group has announced the acquisition of Valmar Airflo Inc., a Manitoba-based maker of seed and granular spreaders. “We are thrilled to add Valmar Airflo to our family,” said Geof Gray, Chief Executive Officer of Salford Group, in a news release. “This merger will allow us to offer a complete… Read More
With all the excitement about data and new tools for recording farm production and operational activities, collecting the data is often the easy part. The challenge comes in turning the data and observations into simple, actionable information. Whether it’s vehicle or equipment activity, irrigation tracking, soil test results, basic field records or the markets, the Connected… Read More
It’s been almost 30 years since Caterpillar launched the first rubber tracked tractor for farming — the Challenger 65 was created in 1986 and introduced to the market in 1987. There are obvious similarities between the original and the latest version of the Challenger, but there have also been some noticeable changes, including the transition to… Read More
Kuhn Farm Machinery’s Espro — an implement as quaint as a London flat — will officially be welcomed to agriculture in the United Kingdom during Cereals 2015 this June. The Espro is a minimum tillage, low horsepower-demand drill that comes in two models thus far: the 3000 and the 6000 R. Both are Isobus compatible, with 6″ seed… Read More
We’re about to flip the calendar to May, and, perhaps surprisingly, soil moisture is becoming a bit of an issue for those rolling in the fields, says Peter Johnson, in this week’s Wheat Pete’s Word. What can you do about soil that’s drying out too quickly? Well, you’re doing to have to adjust planting depth… Read More
Zero should be every farm’s goal when it comes to number of injuries or accidents during seeding — how do you make that a reality? Tractors, trucks and seeding equipment across the country are starting to roll for #plant15, and with another busy season comes an elevated risk of injuries and fatalities on farms. Unfortunately,… Read More
With corn planting season around the corner, the annual routine of getting planting units ready for a new growing season is well underway. The planter setup and calibration process should account for the size of corn seed going through the planter, notes Dieter Schwarz of Pride Seeds in this latest Corn School episode. “Look at that bag of… Read More
The first rule of the 3Rs (no, not Fight Club) is to reduce, then comes reuse ahead of the third R — recycle. Farmers are already reducing total plastic needed by buying crop protection products in large totes vs. jugs, but those large totes need to find a final home eventually, too. Of course, farmers… Read More
We’re in the midst of a smartphone app era, some as trivial as games of pursuit, others as significant as financial management. In agriculture, we’ve seen the use of apps truly grow, from a few simple calculators to tablet displays. But, some apps seem to make the mainstream market before spreading their roots into agriculture. That’s… Read More
Farm auction season is winding down, but not before things get really heated — there are certainly no shortage of sales to attend, but hot deals have been in short supply. That phenomenon has inspired this latest Kickin’ Tires podcast with co-hosts Shaun Haney and Jim Hale. That’s right, we’re talking online vs. in-person and… Read More
Top-end speed for tractors has climbed over the years, as farmers look for ways to reduce the amount of time spent transporting equipment. Faster road gears have become more valuable as farms grow in size, with longer distances between fields. While it might exceed what’s practical on most North American farms, a new Guiness World Record for fastest tractor speed… Read More