Grain vacs | Increased safety with lots of power and suction
FARGO — Stricter safety regulations in the United States that govern people working in bins have prompted equipment innovations such as a grain vac capable of pulling grain 30 metres. “OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) really clamped down on the practice of people entering bins with sweeps,” said Peter Kingma of the grain handling […] Read more
Ron Lyseng
Stories by Ron Lyseng
Brit dryer reduces fire risk, energy use
Airflow is key | Grain rides on bed of air to allow maximum circulation
BRANDON — A new continuous flow horizontal dryer designed for low temperature with high airflow reduces energy costs and fire risks. The Double Flow, built by the Alvan Blanch company in England, can take canola from 25 percent moisture down to nine percent in a single pass at 85 C. Sunflowers at 20 percent moisture […] Read moreChisel chopper handles hard jobs
Chopping wheels take on hardpan and root balls
Are you looking to have a violent confrontation with your B.t. corn root balls this year or need to deal with flood-toughened dirt? Great Plains Manufacturing of Salina, Kansas, might have the tool for you. The new Turbo-Chopper Triple Chisel features a row of mean-looking chopping wheels at the back designed to beat up on […] Read more
Soil contact focus of disc ripper
Uniform residue | Organisms better able to break down trash into organic matter
FARGO, N.D. — As corn acres increase, so too does the need for tillage implements to handle that tough Bt residue. Some engineers have smashed, slashed and obliterated the stubborn stalks and roots, while others evenly blend the residue into the top few inches of soil. Jim Balstad of Wil-Rich Manufacturing is in the latter […] Read moreMachine saves precious topsoil when picking rocks
Loftness Kwik-pic | A hydraulic shaker helps dirt to fall through the tined basket, in which large rocks are trapped
LUNDAR Man. — Tom Johnson has spent most of his 70 years picking rocks on the west side of Manitoba’s Interlake. Crop yields in his part of the province never match those in the Red River Valley, but the numbers are respectable when nature co-operates. “In the long run, I figure cheaper land makes up […] Read more
AquaDam fights water with water
Better than sandbags | Cheaper and faster to build, the water-filled poly dams resist erosion
Prairie flooding has caused millions of dollars in damage to farmsteads, towns and rural homes in recent years. In many cases, flood waters rose faster than sandbag or clay dikes could be erected. The crisis worsened as the cost of building a proper dike caused delays in decision-making. As well, the clay required to build […] Read more
Italian firm making tracks in N. America
Simplicity attractive | Tidue aftermarket rubber track system has shorter footprint
There are many North American built aftermarket rubber track systems on the market, yet at least one Minnesota dealer sees advantages in importing a new track from Italy. “Tidue is the simplest rubber track conversion anywhere in the marketplace today. It has the least number of working parts,” said Lee Rognes of RDO Sales. RDO, […] Read moreWireless technology warns operator of seed blockage
FARGO, N.D. — A new blockage monitor for air seeders uses sound and air combined with Wi-Fi wireless and IPod display. “Our experience showed there was a need for new thinking in seed and fertilizer blockage monitors,” said Chris Giese of Intelligent Agricultural Solutions in Fargo. “There were issues with the various optical and vibration […] Read more
Company thinks outside the bag
FARGO, N.D. — Trying to quickly and efficiently empty a grain bag is the storage method’s obvious disadvantage, but the task can also be physically dangerous. As well, grain vacuums can create a special set of risks. “Most farmers already have a grain vac,” says Mark Patterson of Walinga. The vacuums create tremendous suction energy […] Read more
The humble wheelbarrow always there to help
Wheelbarrows haven’t changed much since the days of Fred Flintstone and the first ancients who invented the wheel. When you think about it, until you get to the point in history when you can add an engine, there’s not much room for improvement. It’s a wheel with a flat platform and a couple of sticks […] Read more
