In the past, most farmers kept a handful of sheep or cows in the yard “to clean up around the buildings.” Today, the job of keeping the grass cut is the almost exclusive domain of rotary mowers. Having a smaller tractor around to power them has become a necessity. Even though larger tractors can easily […] Read more
New Holland Introduces New Utility Tractor
Kubota Adds Skid Steers
Over its 35-year history, Kubota Canada has developed a very loyal following for its compact and utility tractors. The company has been continually adding new models to those lines, which now top out at 135 engine horsepower. But the big news this year is the addition of compact track loaders to its product stable. Two-tracked, […] Read more
Renewable fuel regulations
Canada hasn’t exactly been embracing renewable fuels. For the most part it’s been regular petroleum or nothing, but it appears we have been quietly—and slowly—moving forward with efforts to encourage their use. The announcement on September 1st that the federal government will enact a mandatory renewable content for gasoline is one front on which we’re […] Read more
To till or not to till, that’s the question
One of the things the last two or three decades on the prairie will be remembered for—from an agricultural point of view—is the widespread adoption of no-till farming. Tillage had become a dirty, or at least a dusty, word. Cultivators and most types of tillage equipment that were in high demand up until the 80s […] Read more
From slide rules to computers
One of the great things about being a machinery editor is you occasionally get invited to vist engineering and assembly plants. R&D facilities, where machines are designed and tested, are fascinating. Watching new tractors go through a variety of tests intended to break them is something to see. The testing bays at R&D facilities belonging […] Read more
Keep a close eye on grain dryer temperatures
If you hold a sample of good-quality, high-protein wheat in one hand and some that has been damaged by excessive heat from a dryer in the other, can you tell the difference? Ed Lysenko, a baking research technician at the Canadian Grain Commission (CGC), says no, that isn’t always possible. Samples sent to the CGC […] Read more
New Product Improves Grain Bag Seals
As grain bags increase in popularity, some farmers are finding getting them properly sealed after filling is their weak point. Winnipegbased Curry Industries has just released its new Poly-Fastener and Bag Zipper Tool to make that job easier. The Poly-Fastener consists of two plastic strips that lock together to seal grain bags. “Just imagine a […] Read more
Keep Aeration Fans Going
With so much rain this fall, more than a few farmers are likely going turn their combines loose in some tough grain just to get harvest finished. Grain dryers will be logging a lot of overtime to keep up. But the odds are at least some damp grain will have to be put into storage […] Read more
Aeration: Can You Really Live Without It?
Most retailers would probably agree grain aeration systems have been an easy sell this year because of all the rain, but should farmers look at aeration storage as a key component of a farm operation every year, regardless of the weather? The downside is equipping the majority of bins on a farm with aeration systems […] Read more
New Sprayers Hit The Market
This summer was a busy one for new equipment releases by the major manufacturers. Included among those new additions are a collection of ten new sprayer models from two different brand names — New Holland and AGCO’s RoGator line. New Holland has taken the plunge and jumped into the high-clearance sprayer business with its brand-new […] Read more