Firm packing | Generally solid contact in wet soil has been the standard, but is it the right move for producers to make?
The assumption behind nearly all drill designs is that better packing and seed to soil contact result in a better rate of germination. Stewart Wuest of the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Pendleton, Oregon, has been studying the question for nearly two decades. Not only is the model of seed soil contact mythical but water […] Read more
Ron Lyseng
Stories by Ron Lyseng
Tiny Massey tractor equipped with big time features
Lots of options | Versatility makes this machine an unlikely source of help on the farm
BRANDON — Four wheel drive, three-point hitch, differential lock, rear and mid power take-off are all available on the Massey Ferguson GC sub-compact tractors. With a maximum of only 25 horsepower and 19.6 p.t.o. h.p., the little tractor is not intended to do real farm work, but the long list of options for the p.t.o., […] Read more‘Mighty Mouse’ delivers more mower power
Stronger, not faster | North Dakota students give garden mower a makeover
FARGO, N. D. — There’s finally a solution for guys needing a more powerful lawn tractor. Install a Chevy small block, widely known as “Mighty Mouse.” It is possible to pull that tiny original engine and slide a Chevy small block V8 into the same hole, as students at North Dakota State’s College of Science […] Read more
Innovation takes load off your mind
Hydraulic elevator | E-Zee Loader does the heavy lifting and can be custom designed for every cart on the market
BRANDON — Filling an air cart with bagged canola seed and inoculant makes for a gruelling day, especially if you start at 4 a.m. and run until 9 p.m. Carrying bags becomes a time factor and a danger on dew- and dust-greased stairs and ladders. It wears you out physically and mentally, and that’s when […] Read moreExpert skeptical on spreading phosphorus
Wide row spacing has energy-saving and moisture conservation benefits, but some researchers and drill designers feel it also has negative repercussions because it crowds the plants and fertilizer into such a narrow band. In the late 1980s, North Dakota State University’s Agronomy Seed Farm at Casselton N.D., looked at applying phosphorus in a wide ribbon. […] Read more
Razor slices soil for seeds
BRANDON — Anderson Openers, described for decades as big bulky construction bricks made of many small pieces, have changed their public profile as well as their profile in the soil. The new Anderson Opener is a smooth streamlined version that retains the same seed/fertilizer relationship as the original brick. Kevin Anderson retired from the business […] Read more
Better germination equals better yield
Ag Systems gives seeds plenty of breathing room
The first Ag Systems customer averaged a four to five bushel wheat benefit and a three to four bushel soybean benefit compared to his neigh-bours. LeRoy Richard has sold all four of his prototypes, and they’re all in use on farms today. His first prototype was a 30-foot unit purchased by distant relative Larry Richard, […] Read more
New drill takes multi-tasking to the max
One frame fits all | Different machines attach to Ag Systems’ master frame, saving producers money
The Ag Systems drill has all the bases covered. It can switch between no-till drill, double disc drill, shank drill, strip till, corn planter, tillage tool, aerator and coulters for sizing corn residue. The frame is engineered to allow all these in-ground options to be switched quickly. The operator simply pulls one mounting pin for […] Read moreDouble Flow dryer ideal in soggy Peace region
Northern Alberta’s Peace River region is well known for having canola so wet it can’t even be tested. Larry Dorig, an Alvan Blanch Canadian dealer located at Spirit River, Alta., said he only stumbled across a solution to the problem out of sheer good luck. He said his operation bought the first Double Flow dryer […] Read more
Camera allows for increased control
BRANDON — Being able to put the auger spout into the bin on the first try, in the dark, can save a lot of time and aggravation. That’s what Laurie Brownlee had in mind when he developed a magnetic mounting device to install a standard CabCam to the top end of a grain auger. “This […] Read more
