Seeing is believing. That’s why Mach Till hit the road this fall and traveled to several Kinze dealerships across the Midwest to demonstrate its capabilities. It even made a trip to Texas! Area farmers and dealership personnel had the opportunity to operate the machine and experience its performance first-hand. Not only has it traveled to several locations for demos, it’s also traveled to multiple farm shows including Husker Harvest, Dakotafest, Ag Progress Days and Farm Progress Show.
Why Till in the Fall?
Farmers that plant higher populations, like 36,000, have increased crop residue after harvesting. The more residue on top of the soil, the longer it takes to breakdown throughout the winter. “This tool puts more dirt on top of the residue, speeding up residue breakdown,” said Nathan Gannaway, Birkey’s Farm Store Oakland, IL store manager. “It is a more aggressive residue management tool than a vertical till machine,” added Gannaway.
The two rows of differently-angled, concave discs cut through the residue and lift soil as the corrugated rubber roller sheds soils and further breaks up large clods, resulting in 60 percent of the residue incorporated into the soil. The remaining 40 percent remains on top to protect the soil.
“The more you can put smaller chunks of residue in contact with soil, the faster the carbon/nitrogen cycle exchange. This breaks down residue faster and creates a better soil for next year’s crop,” explained Mach Till product specialist Justin. It is also a great tool to prepare fields for fall cover crops.
“Overall, fields are left with a nice, level finish,” commented Gannaway. Farmers are also able to go faster and cover more ground with Mach Till, traveling at up to 12 mph. From our smallest Mach Till to the largest, farmers can cover up to 30 to 60 acres per hour.
How is It on Compaction?
It’s no secret that Mach Till is built heavy. It speaks true to Jon’s old saying, “When in doubt, build it stout.” The weight of the frame is needed to maintain a consistent working depth, even in extreme soil and residue conditions. (See it in action in the demo videos from Experience Kinze Field Day.) But that brings up the question, “How is it on compaction?”
The frame weight is distributed over two to four high-flotation tires and the full-width rubber furrow roller, minimizing compaction. A Mach Till 331, for example, glides through the field at 2.3 psi.
We put it to the test on 20-year-old ground. It was tested after multiple passes in both wet and dry conditions. Running in dry soil, we saw no change to +10 psi. In wet soil, we saw +10 to +30 psi. None of the samples were close to restrictive measurements. Find more compaction info on this video at 4:49-6:23 minutes.
Where is the Mach Till Going Next?
Mach Till demos are not over. There are several planned for next month in Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin, Kentucky and Iowa, weather and harvesting progress dependent. Contact your local dealer to find a demo near you or request a demo for yourself!
Check out some footage from a couple of our Mach Till demonstrations below. Also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to see upcoming demo footage.
