Equipment

Have you ever wanted to try out a new tractor, a new zero turn mower, or a new rtv? Apple Farm Service of Covington is giving you that chance with their second annual Kubota Field Event.

They will have over a dozen new Kubota machines to try. Join them at the Miami County Farigrounds from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 27 to test drive a new tractor, zero turn mower, or rtv.

“We had such a fun time last year. We can’t wait to host the second annual Kubota Field Event this April,” said Kent Holmes, marketing manager for Apple Farm Service. “We’ll be bringing our full line-up of Kubota tractors, zero turn mowers, rtvs, and plenty of attachments for anyone to play with! Mow some grass, scoop with a front loader, dig a hole with the backhoe, use a pto tiller, and speed down the road with a rtv!”… Continue reading

By Morgan McCollow, Contributing Writer, Journal News – Spencerville, OH

S.I. Distributing was started by a farmer who wanted innovative products and loved tinkering, and that’s what the company still does 40 years later.

In the late-1970s, Joe Whitney, a grain farmer, was the owner of Spencerville Implement — a John Deere and a short line dealership in Spencerville. As a farmer, Whitney always looked for innovative ways to improve his farm equipment, which led to the formation of S.I. Manufacturing in 1979. This new company manufactured tools that improved the current farm equipment.

As a result of the Farm Crisis of the 1980s that brought high-interest rates, low crop prices, and more negative effects to the John Deere dealership, Whitney made the decision to close the dealership in 1986.

Whitney kept S.I. Manufacturing going, continuing to add on new innovative products to sell. Shortly thereafter, S.I. Manufacturing became the first U.S.… Continue reading

By Matt Reese

The sun is out, the skies are blue and the spring breeze is blowing, but the fields are not quite ready. What are some last-minute things to double (and triple) check on the planter before heading out to the field for the first test run?

Some of the most-common panicked springtime farmer phone calls to dealers involve the technology and planter monitor set-up questions. Many monitors can run self-checks on things like the row clutches, sensor readings and seed tubes, but the key is getting a start on this before heading to the fields to kick off the planting season, said Jeff Garrabrant, lead technician for Evolution Ag in Plain City.

“It is still wet and we still have some guys trying to get some corn off in the area. A  week or two before you are ready to go plant, the biggest thing is to get the fields and the farms put into the monitor properly and make sure you have the seed meters, the overlaps and all of the calibrations set,” Garrabrant said.… Continue reading

By John Fulton and Trey Colley

Sub-surface placement of nutrients is a best management practice (BMP) in an effort to reduce off-site transport of P and N. There is variety of placement techniques and equipment which becomes important information as farmers decide a solution or suite of solutions to adopt. Frequently, it is unclear which types of implements are best suited to meet the nutrient management goals for a farm operation. Equipment capable of sub-surface placement can vary in horsepower requirements, placement options, and the level of surface disturbance. The “right” implement will vary from farm-to-farm based on the differing management strategies.

An Ohio State University Fact Sheet (Opportunities for Sub-surface Nutrient Placement in Ohio) has been developed to help review and understand specification of different implements for sub-surface placement of fertilizers. This publication can be accessed at https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/fabe-56401. To help identify which implement(s) is best suited for your farm, the Ohio State Precision Ag Team compiled a list of sub-surface placement benefits and categorized available equipment options.… Continue reading

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The list of Ag-Pro Companies farm equipment dealer acquisitions in Ohio continues to grow with the purchase of Kuester Implement, a three-location John Deere dealership based in eastern Ohio.

According to the dealership’s website, the Bloomingdale-based Kuester Implement Company is a third generation John Deere Dealer that has served the tri-state area for more than 70 years. In 2003, Kuester Implement expanded operations by purchasing the John Deere dealership in New Philadelphia to expand in the areas of agricultural, turf, and small construction needs. In 2006, Kuester Implement opened up operations in St. Clairsville.

In January, Shearer Equipment signed a letter of intent to sell their company’s assets to Ag-Pro Ohio LLC, a subsidiary of Ag-Pro Companies. Prior to that, Ag-Pro bought the assets of JD Equipment in late 2018. With the newest purchase, Ag-Pro Companies will include 82 locations in seven states.… Continue reading

Another farm equipment dealer in Ohio has sold to Ag-Pro.

Shearer Equipment announced this week they have signed a letter of intent to sell their company’s assets to Ag-Pro Ohio LLC, a subsidiary of Ag-Pro Companies.

Ag-Pro recently made a name in Ohio by buying the assets of JD Equipment in late 2018.

The anticipated transaction date is January 30, 2019, according to a letter posted by Shearer Equipment on social media.

Ag-Pro is based out of Georgia and has over 70 John Deere dealerships in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Texas, and Ohio.… Continue reading

JD Equipment announced the intent to sell its assets to Ag-Pro, Ohio, LLC, a subsidiary of Ag-Pro Companies. Ag-Pro Companies has 57 John Deere locations throughout the country.

“The choice to sell JD Equipment was not an easy decision. The Mitchell family has more than 36 years of history as a John Deere Dealer and has strong ties to all of the communities we operate in,” said Jeffrey Mitchell, CEO, and Don Mitchell, president, in a letter to JD Equipment, Inc. customers. “However, the sale of JD Equipment was the right decision for our employees and our customers, in order for the dealership to remain competitive and continue serving its employees, its customers and its communities long into the future.”

The anticipated transfer date in Dec. 12, 2018.… Continue reading

When Pickaway County farmers, Myron and Leo Metzger, outgrew their 3,000 square-foot farm shop, they decided to expand in a big way. Their new farm shop is nearly six times larger, providing not only the additional space they needed, but also greater efficiency.

“At the former shop, we were actually working on repairs outside, since it wasn’t big enough for the newer, larger equipment,” said Myron Metzger. “When the new shop was completed, everyone questioned the need for so much space, but we’re glad to have ample room.”

Metzger Brothers Farms, located near Circleville, was established in 1974 and the two brothers have continued to farm together since then. The recently added shop, designed and built by Morton Buildings, includes over 17,000 square feet of shop and equipment storage space, plus a 24- by 30-foot office with refrigerator and shower.

Metzger said the spacious shop allows a lot of flexibility. “It really gives us the ability to service one or multiple pieces of equipment at the same time,” he said.… Continue reading

By Ajay Shah, Mary Wicks and Ashish Manandhar

The bioeconomy is a challenging marketplace. Making products from plants requires ingenuity and perseverance; getting them to market requires similar skills. While a product may be a brilliant innovation and testing has demonstrated its potential, there is no guarantee that it can be successfully commercialized. Before acquiring financing and moving to the production stage, an evaluation of the product’s scale-up potential is the critical step. This evaluation answers questions about performance, economic viability and environmental impacts.

Process modeling

The first step in evaluating scale-up is to develop a comprehensive model of the engineering systems and processes required for production. Process data, such as feedstock production, operating conditions, and item size and number, need to be identified. Next, performance data, including yield, system efficiency and fuel consumption, as well resources, including equipment, chemicals, consumables and energy, must be estimated. Spatiotemporal data that will impact production, such as weather conditions, roadways and travel times, also need to be determined.… Continue reading

Ohio Ag Equipment announces its intent to acquire the Wyandot County AGCO dealer, Schmidt Machine Company, Ag division, on the target date of Dec. 17, 2018. The acquisition of Schmidt Machine Company’s equipment business will strengthen Ohio Ag Equipment’s ability to service the ag industry by providing customers in central Ohio with an exceptional line of equipment and product support.

“I have thoroughly enjoyed working with one of the longest standing Massey dealers in North America, Schmidt Machine Company,” said Mike Mampieri, General Manager for Ohio Ag Equipment. “They are a talented team, dedicated to providing exceptional customer support. This acquisition strengthens our commitment to be the preferred equipment supplier in Ohio.”

With an anticipated successful closing on Dec. 17, 2018, all equipment sales, parts sales and service will then be conducted out of Ohio Ag Equipment’s Upper Sandusky, Ohio location (1820 E. Wyandot Ave., Upper Sandusky, OH 43351).

“Our customers and their needs are important to us.… Continue reading

By Laura Akgerman, Disability Services Coordinator for Ohio AgrAbility, and Charlie Landis, Rural Rehabilitation Coordinator for Ohio AgrAbility

Farm equipment is often heavy, bulky, hard to move, and could require two people to safely lift or move items, or to hitch equipment to a tractor. A good alternative to back-straining lifting is a rolling lift cart. Rolling lift carts reduce the risk of injury from lifting and carrying heavy objects. A rolling lift cart allows you to lift an object from the floor, bench, or table with minimal manual lifting, and move the equipment to where you want it and raise or lower the height of the cart to allow easy attachment or transfer of the equipment. A lift cart can be used to unload heavy objects from a truck bed and move them where you want within the shop or barn. The lift table height is raised with a foot pedal and lowered with a hand release lever.… Continue reading

Ag Info Tech is proud to announce they will soon become 1 of 10 Smart Ag dealers in the United States. The Smart Ag innovative technology will allow farmers to automate their existing equipment and maximize its efficiency and capacity.

Smart Ag will improve farmer’s operational capacity by enabling them to use automation and driverless technology on their farms.

“My dad was born in 1911 and witnessed many great advances in agriculture first-hand, from pulling equipment with horses, to tractors to auto steer,” said Tim Norris, Ag Info Tech CEO and VP Sales. “I never imagined that I would be able to experience change on the level he has, but this advanced level of artificial intelligence (AI) with Smart Ag will rapidly change how agriculture operations are performed. In comparison, Smart Ag and autonomous equipment will be as big as the tractor was after the horse.”

Smart Ag, based in Ames, Iowa is an investor-backed technology company developing autonomous farming solutions for row crop agriculture.… Continue reading

The new Fendt IDEAL combine is the first “clean-sheet” design of an axial combine in the industry in 30 years. It sets a new standard for harvesting automation, blending Fendt’s tradition of engineering innovation with the most advanced operating technology, to deliver what producers around the world told AGCO they want in a combine — in-field efficiency, unfailing uptime, totally simple operation and better grain quality.

“We know harvest is a critical time, experienced operators can be hard to find and every bushel from every acre counts,” said Caleb Schleder, tactical marketing manager for combines. “The Fendt IDEAL is a game changer because it is highly automated, but easy to operate. We created this combine to bring our customers peace of mind that they can go to the field, run steadily all day long and get the crop harvested with great efficiency and minimal downtime.

“We’re backing that up with best-in-class customer support through the Fendt Gold Star Customer Care Plan,” Schleder said.… Continue reading

Today, Ag Leader announced new fall features added to its full-farm connectivity platform, AgFiniti, bringing an even higher level of in-season visibility to growers and trusted advisors.

“For the past several years, we’ve been building upon our AgFiniti platform with the goal to make the right information available to our customers anytime and anywhere. This means flowing information throughout the operation and across machines, devices and seasons. These announcements mark the next step in that vision,” said Corey Weddle, Director of Software Solutions.

Live stats across displays and devices
Last year, AgFiniti pushed display-to-display communication to an unprecedented level of ease and availability with the DisplayCast feature for InCommand displays. This fall, customers can share even more information in real-time across displays and other connected devices like tablets and cellphones. Live stats including yield, moisture, rate, population, speed, location, container level and more, can easily be shared across displays and devices.… Continue reading

By John Fulton (FABE Associate Professor), Elizabeth Hawkins (OSUE Field Specialist, Agronomic Systems) and Richard Colley III (Digital Ag Program Manager)

Harvest has started here in Ohio but it is good to remember to make sure your yield monitor is setup and calibrated properly. Geo-referenced yield data (i.e. yield maps) are being used more frequently to provide precision agriculture insights and recommendations at the field level. Yield maps not only help growers understand end-of-year performance within fields, but also can be used to characterize in-field variation. Information about this variation is often used by service providers to deliver prescriptions, recommendations, or other information back to the farmer. Because yield maps continue to be an important data layer to learn from and help drive changes or decisions at a field level, proper management of the yield monitor is critical to generate accurate and reliable yield data. Grain moisture and test weight, along with grain flow through the combine, will vary within passes and across fields.… Continue reading

To commemorate the rich legacy of Axial-Flow combines, Case IH is excited to launch the 50 series Axial-Flow combine lineup with a special-edition 150 series combine. The 150 series combine features International Harvester heritage styling, color schemes and decals reminiscent of the first Axial-Flow combine in 1977. The memorable white cab top and tire rims give way to the latest harvest advancements to help producers put more grain in the tank.

The productivity enhancements of the legendary single rotor technology, Cross-Flow cleaning system and 2-speed electric shift transmission enable the 150 series combine to handle varying harvest conditions and crop types.

“We’re excited to bring back the retro stylings of the 1977 International Harvester Axial-Flow combines, now paired with productivity enhancements desired to help today’s producers harvest more of what they grow,” said Kelly Kravig, Case IH harvesting marketing manager. “For older generation farmers, this combine is a throwback to their earlier farming days.… Continue reading

Today’s crop breeders are trying to boost yields while preparing crops to withstand severe weather and changing climates. To succeed, they must locate genes for high-yielding, hardy traits in crop plants’ DNA. A robot developed by the University of Illinois to find these proverbial needles in the haystack was recognized by the best systems paper award at Robotics: Science and Systems, the preeminent robotics conference held last week in Pittsburgh.

“There’s a real need to accelerate breeding to meet global food demand,” said principal investigator Girish Chowdhary, an assistant professor of field robotics in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering and the Coordinated Science Lab at Illinois. “In Africa, the population will more than double by 2050, but today the yields are only a quarter of their potential.”

Crop breeders run massive experiments comparing thousands of different cultivars, or varieties, of crops over hundreds of acres and measure key traits, like plant emergence or height, by hand.… Continue reading

On Saturday July 28, 2018 in a wheat stubble field on the east edge of Alvordton, Ohio, antique tractors of all types will arrive with moldboard plows in tow as well as “antique” farmers will arrive with grandchildren in tow. Massey Harris tractors of all sizes will arrive and tractor enthusiasts as well as nostalgia seekers will come to “see how we used to do it.”

The Annual Plow Days Event is hosted by the Alvordton-Millcreek Township Volunteer Fire Department in cooperation with Kunkle Farms LLC and Darin Meyers Farms.

This year’s event will feature big power and big iron with not one, but two Big Bud tractors. Featured tractors will be a 650-50 Big Bud, one of only 5 Ag models produced and the only remaining in the United States pulling a DMI 21 bottom hydra-flex moldboard ploy, the largest moldboard plow ever produced. Also featured will be a 525-50 Big Bud, pulling an 18 bottom Will-Rich plow, also the largest model produced by the company.… Continue reading