If you decide to use an additive in a farm diesel, make sure you understand what it can do and what your engine needs. Don’t just pour in any old additive as a matter of routine. Whether to use an additive in diesel fuel is one of those topics that sparks a variety of opinions […] Read more
Do You Need Diesel Additive?
Your Underground Power Plant
GET EDUCATED ABOUT GEOTHERMAL Are you thinking about installing a geothermal heating system in a residence or farm building? If so, here are some website links that will help you in everything from looking for government grants and loans to learning about the technology. —The Canadian Geo Exchange Coalition. www.geo-exchange.caA national website that answers questions […] Read more
Dry Grain On The Combine
Are you interesting in refining and marketing the combine-mounted microwave grain dryer? If so, contact Alvin Snaper at Neo-Dyne Research Inc., 1000 W. Bonanza Road, Las Vegas, Nevada, 89106 USA If you thought the only use for a microwave oven on the farm was to cook macaroni and cheese, think again. Alvin Snaper, an inventor […] Read more
Narrow Tires Cut Yield Loss
PAYBACK FROM NARROW TIRES Here are the estimated production losses from spraying late in the season with a tractor on a quarter-section field. This is based on wheat yield of 30 bushel per acre wheat and a price of $5 per bushel. Rear tire width Boom width Area trampled Production loss Dollar cost of loss […] Read more
Wind Makes Ranch Energy Neutral
—STEVE MCKNIGHT “You want to be committed idealistically… It’s something that’s right for future generations.” If those recent TV commercials have you feeling like David Suzuki is suddenly going to pop up from nowhere and scold you each time you leave the lights on in barn, you’re not alone. These days it seems everyone is […] Read more
Not sure your front-end loader is up for the job of moving heavy bales over and over for years on end? A construction-grade wheel loader can do it
With the current size and density of modern round bales, farmers are asking their loader tractors to lift some pretty heavy weights. So heavy, in fact, that many large cattle producers have instead opted for small construction wheel loaders to do the job. That’s because a few years of that kind of hard graft can […] Read more
Boom Control For A Drill
Even though some input costs have dropped from 2008 levels, the outlook for the future suggests price volatility is going to be the name of the game. As a result, it is worth taking a closer look at technologies that can minimize inputs and help keep costs in check, especially during price peaks. Seed Hawk’s […] Read more
Growers see advantages from using independently linked openers. Seed placement at a consistent depth for every opener makes for a better yielding crop
“ This is the best piece of seeding equipment we ever had, and I’ve been farming for 50 years,” says Alfred Bechard of Sedley, Sask. He’s talking about the new air drill he used for the first time in the 2008 season. Bechard’s air drill is one of several brands equipped with independent-link openers. Each […] Read more
5 Indy-Link Openers Compared
The introduction of the air hoe drill with independently-linked seed openers started a revolution in no-till seeding. With most major manufacturers offering their own version of the air hoe drill, growers looking to invest in the technology now have a lot of options. But the air hoe drill is only one of the no-till seeder […] Read more
An Argument For Low SBU
You have a lot of choice when it comes to air seeders. Not only are there a variety of manufacturers offering unique designs, but you can also select row spacings — typically ranging from eight to 14 inches. That particular choice may be the most important one of all. Selecting a wider row-spacing option means […] Read more