FARGO, N.D. — Gasification furnaces extract twice the heat from a cord of wood as do conventional outdoor water furnaces, says a furnace manufacturer. Brian Martin of Portage and Main Outdoor Water Furnaces said the firebox in a conventional outdoor water furnace is used to burn wood and is the source of heat for the […] Read more
Ron Lyseng
Stories by Ron Lyseng
Wheelchair users slide into driver’s seat of pickup
FARGO, N.D. — Wheelchair-bound farmers can now trade that weakling minivan for a wheelchair accessible three quarter ton, 4×4 pickup. GoShichi has converted a four-wheel drive Chevrolet Silverado pickup to be wheelchair accessible. The truck is extensively modified so the two left side doors open straight out 36 inches, allowing the wheelchair platform to slide […] Read more
Pulses are binned, but are they safe?
Dennis Lange is pretty sure farmers would check their grain bins every day if a bag containing $50,000 in cash was hidden inside. “So why don’t we do the same with pulse crops in the bin?” wonders the Manitoba Agriculture pulse crop specialist. Prairie pulse crops came off the field in good condition this fall, […] Read more
Bin sight offers producers insight
FARGO, N.D. — The J-Mac is a simple grain level sight that made its debut at the Big Iron farm equipment show in Fargo this fall. It consists of a white nylon box that’s open to the grain bin on the inside and sealed on the outside with a clear, unbreakable polycarbonate window. Grain shows […] Read more
Fertilizing in autumn offers benefits in spring
Farmers frequently ask Ross McKenzie about the effectiveness of fall versus spring nitrogen applications. “Fall fertilization can range from very effective to disastrous, depending on soil moisture conditions, the form of nitrogen fertilizer and how it’s applied,” said the Alberta Agriculture agronomy research scientist. McKenzie said problems can occur even if everything is done correctly. […] Read more
Ditcher digs, then flings but leaves field flat
GLENLEA, Man. — Throwing heavy gumbo 100 to 200 feet from a new drainage ditch is a feat flatland farmers fantasize about. Fantasy became reality at an October field day on the University of Manitoba’s Glenlea Research Farm when Dynamic Ditchers of Oak Bank, Man., demonstrated how its Wolverine rotary ditcher skims soil from depths […] Read more
Side dump trailer wears many hats
FARGO, N.D. – The quest for a more efficient way to transport bulk agricultural products and byproducts often sends farmers to a construction equipment dealer. The latest crossover from construction to agriculture is the side dump trailer. There have been concerns over the years about this machine’s inherent instability, but the Jet Company of Iowa […] Read more
Pulldozer aims for level playing ground
Farmers wanting a smoother field after fall drainage operations now have access to a machine designed with finish as the foremost factor. “The biggest benefit of the Pulldozer is ease of finishing compared to conventional scrapers,” says Dale Kotzer of Bridgeview Manufacturing in Gerald, Sask. “We saw that farmers wanted a more level field surface […] Read more
Large drainage ditcher smooths problems fast
Why would a farmer bother to design a new ditcher from scratch, considering the wide variety of options already on the market? For Jeff Penner, it was all about speed. “Speed and the fact that I wanted to move as little dirt as possible and still have good drainage,” says Penner, a farmer from Swan […] Read more
V-Ditcher cleans drain to keep water moving
FARGO, N.D. — Standing water is not a pretty sight, especially with today’s crop prices. “With $7 corn and $10 beans, losing 20 acres to standing water is something you just do not want to do,” said Perry Rust, owner of Rust Sales in Harwood, North Dakota. His solution is a disc-style V-ditcher that looks […] Read more
