The year is 1977. A producer walks into the local co-op, says hi to his friend Bob, who pumps the gas and has managed the place since 1959. He avoids the creaky floor at the hitch pin display as he approaches the parts counter. “I need some nozzles,” he says. “How many gallons?” the parts […] Read more
Stories by Tom Wolf And Jason Deveau
Spraying: is its future up in the air?
Aerial application is an essential part of agriculture. Planes have high productivity, leave no tracks in valuable crops and are the only option during wet spells. Modern aircraft have large hoppers, commonly 400 to 500 gallons and as much as 800, but they use less water and adjuvants (carrier) than their ground sprayer cousins. Ground […] Read more
Sprayer speed versus good coverage: how fast is too fast?
It seems simple: the faster you drive the sprayer, the more area you cover. This makes higher travel speeds a seductive method for improving productivity. Sprayer manufacturers knew this 25 years ago when pull-type sprayers first received bigger, suspended outrigger wheels. Since then, they’ve delivered a growing number of self-propelled units, more powerful engines, better […] Read more
