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Clean fuel = efficient machinery By: Michelle Thilges 07/27/2011 @ 10:26am
Occasionally, farmers tell Ken Rueter that their fuel filters are plugging, reducing engine power and efficiency. The energy management specialist with AgriPride FS says while filters are fairly simple to ...
Three tips for confining compaction By: Michelle Thilges 05/04/2011 @ 11:22am
Compaction is an issue that just won't go away. It affects the majority of farmers and can have severe impact on yields. Compaction can be caused in a myriad of ways, including rain, tillage, wheel ...
Two years later By: Michelle Thilges 04/05/2011 @ 2:55pm
Two years have passed since Michael Thompson was featured in the “Fresh Off The Network” series in Successful Farming magazine (Mid-March 2009, page 15). In that article, he talked about his struggles and ...
Adjusting down pressure By: Michelle Thilges 04/05/2011 @ 2:52pm
Everyone knows the importance of getting good seed-to-soil contact. The best way to achieve this is to have proper down pressure. Kevin Kimberley, a crop consultant in Iowa, explains the best ways to get your ...
Consider planting soybeans sooner By: Michelle Thilges 04/05/2011 @ 2:46pm
“We are seeing dramatic changes right now on farms because of the higher commodity prices,” he says. “You really have to be picky about what you do on your farm. It's all about yield.”The trend is ...
Adjust for no-till By: Michelle Thilges 03/16/2011 @ 9:31am
When it's planting time, you need your planter in tip-top condition to get the best yield possible. One of the toughest conditions to plant in is no-till. With tougher corn stalks and years of residue to ...
Up-to-date barns By: Michelle Thilges 03/16/2011 @ 9:06am
Keeping animals comfortable and hay dry are what barns are built for. To make your structure as safe as it is useful, check out these three tips.1. Ventilate With Fresh AirIt might make us feel better when our ...
Corn for heat still competes By: Michelle Thilges 03/15/2011 @ 3:20pm
An Iowa State University (ISU) test done in 2006 showed that burning corn in a modest-size corn stove generated a savings of nearly $4 a day. While much has changed since then, the cost of heating with a corn ...
Snow weapons By: Michelle Thilges 02/28/2011 @ 11:35am
Once the snow comes, it piles up until the weather gets warmer. Digging out can be a challenge. Here are four tipsr keeping slick spots at a minimum and maneuverability easier on the farmstead.1. Try A ...
Winter pasture By: Michelle Thilges 02/14/2011 @ 1:28pm
Snow and winter months can put a damper on pastures that have been trampled and have unknown weeds lurking below. Use these tips to get pastures in shape.1. Place Fertilizer Using animal waste as ...
Running a great business By: Michelle Thilges 02/14/2011 @ 1:23pm
While attending a conference last summer, Blake Fennell heard another participant say, “A farm run as a way of life is a poor business. But a farm run as a business is a great way of life.” Fennell ...
Tiling for life By: Michelle Thilges 02/14/2011 @ 10:27am
Tiling has been the way of life in the south central Minnesota region for as long as Pat Duncanson can remember. Many county outles were put in about 100 years ago and has been a tradition that has had ...
Preparing planters for no-till By: Michelle Thilges 02/13/2011 @ 2:36pm
Producers going to no-till or, thinking about it, should set up their planter differently than if they are tilling the ground. Paul Jasa, extension engineer with the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, says ...
A Year In Review By: Michelle Thilges 02/13/2011 @ 2:28pm
A year has passed since Michael Thompson was talked about his plans for the future on his family’s farm. In the past article Thompson talked about his struggles and goals for the upcoming years. He now ...
Adopting New Technologies By: Michelle Thilges 02/13/2011 @ 2:26pm
Adopting new technology is part of developing an operation. But what technologies should you take on? And when? It can be challenging what to decide to buy into and what to leave by the way side. Dietrich ...
FFA Seeking New Century Farmer Partcipants By: Michelle Thilges 02/08/2011 @ 11:00pm
The National FFA Organization is now accepting applications for its 2011 New Century Farmer conference. The exclusive, highly competitive conference is open to college of agriculture students who intend to ...
Cover Crops Through the Winter By: Michelle Thilges 02/05/2011 @ 8:24am
Are cover crops valuable if they don't make it through the winter? Dave Robison, a cover crop and forage agronomist, says, "As I take phone calls and conduct meetings I ask producers if they want to ...
Setting Principles for No-Till By: Michelle Thilges 02/05/2011 @ 12:55am
Tom Oswald, a Cleghorn, Iowa, farmer, has set up principles that he tries to accomplish with his no-till practices. He works by the ...
Thinking of No-till? Here's some food for thought. By: Michelle Thilges 02/05/2011 @ 12:47am
We all know the question why did the chicken cross the road? Most of the time the answer is to get to the other side. When Tom Oswald, of Cleghorn, Iowa, thinks of his ...
Thinking of No-till? Here's some food for thought. By: Michelle Thilges 02/05/2011 @ 12:46am
We all know the question why did the chicken cross the road? Most of the time the answer is to get to the other side. When Tom Oswald, of Cleghorn, Iowa, thinks of his ...
Seed Meter Check-up: Slip Plates and Markings By: Michelle Thilges 02/05/2011 @ 12:38am
It’s important for the planter to work properly that each part of the planter is working. One major piece to look at is seed meter. Kevin Kimberley, crop consultant from ...
Planter Tune-up: Down Pressure By: Michelle Thilges 02/05/2011 @ 12:26am
Making sure you have the proper down pressure is essential for proper seed placement. Kevin Kimberley, crop consultant in Iowa gives tips to adjusting for proper down ...
Planter Tune-up: Parallel Linkage By: Michelle Thilges 02/05/2011 @ 12:23am
Everyone knows the importance of getting good seed to soil contact. The best way to do this is to have proper down pressure. Kevin Kimberley, a crop consultant in Iowa ...
Seed Meter Check-up: Lids and Discs By: Michelle Thilges 02/04/2011 @ 11:00pm
Everything is a marriage to your planter. That is Kevin Kimberley’s mantra that can be heard anytime he speaks. Kimberley, the Planter Doctor, has a consulting business ...
Mixing radishes and wheat By: Michelle Thilges 01/25/2011 @ 8:52am
Steve Groff has been experimenting with tillage radishes on his farm to find out how they impact wheat yields. The Holtwood, Pennsylvania, farmer says tillage radishes are a special form of radish ...
Cultivate and educate By: Michelle Thilges 01/12/2011 @ 10:13am
The New Century Farmer conference in July this year provides a chance for 50 college-age studentss to accelerate their career preparation. The weeklong conference brings together young farmers from ...
Broken wheels roll again By: Michelle Thilges 12/15/2010 @ 8:47am
Name: Jenn KrultzAge: 20Farm Location: Greenwood, WisconsinEducation: University of Wisconsin-River FallsFarming Practices: Krultz has a 16-head herd. Her family has a 360-acre dairy farm.Jenn Krultz is ...
Online auctions By: Michelle Thilges 12/14/2010 @ 4:11pm
Scott Cupps is not new to the idea of online auctions. The farmer from Shell Knob, Missouri, has sold roughly 20 pieces of equipment through online methods. He has had his share of success and ...
Working from a plan By: Michelle Thilges 12/14/2010 @ 11:14am
Derek Fuemmeler used one of his courses at Missouri State University to transform his future. One of his projects in his ag marketing class included making a business plan.With another classmate ...
Keith Berns’ motto is to no-till cover crops because soil should always be covered. With this idea and the use of cover crops, the Bladen, Nebraska farmer and his brother, Brian, have seen healthier ...
Is your trailer load secure? By: Michelle Thilges 11/10/2010 @ 11:17am
September 22, 2006, changed Glenn Abbett’s life. On that day, he hired a driver and rented a trailer to deliver a load of tomatoes. The driver of the semi lost control and rolled into oncoming traffic, which ...
Did you choose the right tire? By: Michelle Thilges 11/09/2010 @ 3:26pm
Got a piece of machinery but aren’t happy with the performance of the tires? Bob Rees, North American product manager with Michelin Tires, explains three ways producers can change their tires on their ...
Find the right tires for your trailer By: Michelle Thilges 09/08/2010 @ 1:46pm
Rob Sagar has seen tires that are 20 years old on some trailers.Although the tires may not have been used much, Sagar suggests that maintaining tires and changing them out regularly will help prevent blowouts ...
New Hagie sprayer offers mid-size farmers choices By: Michelle Thilges 08/29/2010 @ 11:00pm
Hagie introduced the new STX10 sprayer 10 years after it's last from scratch sprayer. The new piece of equipment is designed for farmers who farm 1,500 plus acres. Jim Williams offered several components ...
Researchers at the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) found by combining wind and solar power, renewable energy can meet peak energy demands. Parts of the country, including Texas and California could benefit ...
Narrow gauge wheels help even emergence By: Michelle Thilges 08/06/2010 @ 4:33pm
Pat Duncanson switched from 4-inch gauge wheels to 3-inch gauge wheels on his planter this year. The change came because he saw a problem with the 20-inch rows not having as much room for trash flow in between ...
Michelin introduces new sprayer tire By: Michelle Thilges 08/06/2010 @ 4:19pm
A new tire for sprayers is now on the market. Michelin introduced their SprayBib radial tire, which has a load carrying capacity of 14,330 pounds and can go up to 40 mph. The tire is in a new line of the ultra ...
New Century Farmers: Cultivators and Advocators By: Michelle Thilges 07/23/2010 @ 9:19pm
The National FFA Organization's New Century Farmer conference focused on helping the 50 students from across the U.S. become cultivators and advocators of their operation and agriculture as an ...
New Century Farmer: Finances and families By: Michelle Thilges 07/22/2010 @ 11:00pm
The National FFA Organization's New Century Farmer conference helped the participants with their marketing skills, finances, and families. Rabo AgriFiance gave presentations helping the 50 ...
New Century Farmers: Leadership and learning By: Michelle Thilges 07/21/2010 @ 11:00pm
People want leadership. More importantly, says John Buck, people want ag leadership. The founder of TurnKey Leadership provided these thoughts during the National FFA Organization's New Century ...
Photos: New Century Farmer Conference By: Michelle Thilges 07/20/2010 @ 11:00pm
Cultivating and Advocating: Day 2The New Century Farmer conference in Johnston, IA took on its second day keeping up with the message of cultivate and advocate. The 50 participants from across the U.S ...
The New Century Farmer program put on by the National FFA has two goals in mind for the 50 participants: Cultivate and Advocate. “The theme this year is perfect,” states Marty Tatman, education ...
Driving the Momentum By: Michelle Thilges 07/15/2010 @ 11:00pm
Great Plains Manufacturing Inc., is unveiling several new products this year to help farmers with planting, fertilizing, tillage plans and more. All of the products were announced at ...
