Glen Gusta paid $42,000 for his new 40 foot Concord drill in 1998. He sold it this summer for $42,000.
Those prices refer to the drill only, not the cart.
“That machine has made me more money than any other piece of equipment on this farm,” said the retired grain farmer from Stead, Man.
“In 10 years we seeded nearly 50,000 acres and I only had to weld on it once.
“The Concord is one of the heaviest drills I’ve ever seen, so it’s stronger, but it also packs better. With all the peat we have here, our land really wants to be packed well. All that weight on the packers really does a good job.”
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Doesn’t plug with peat
Gusta said the peat can sometimes behave the same as heavy straw. It bunches up in front of the drill and rolls along with it.
The Concord’s staggered axles let the peat and other residue materials move through the drill frame. Other drills he’s owned over the years have their openers in a single row so they plug with peat and straw.
Located northeast of Winnipeg, Stead is in an area where muddy fields are the norm.
“Even on the black land, you can seed through a mud hole and the mud moves through and clears out. On a lot of lighter weight drills with the openers lined up in a row, they bog down in the same mud.
“About the only big thing I can think of to change is they need replaceable bushings for the shank tips. On my Bourgault, for instance, it’s $15 to replace the bushing. On the Concord, I have to buy the whole assembly. That’s expensive.”
If he were to remain grain farming, would Gusta consider an upgraded Concord?
“Absolutely. If I was to continue, I’d be at the top of the list for a new drill like that.”
