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#KINZEPLANT15 Photos From Around the World

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We asked you to submit photos of your Kinze planters out in the field this planting season, and the response has been spectacular, to say the least. Photos have streamed in from around the world – from here in the heartland of America to Ontario, Canada and Brescia, Italy. Even The Bachelor Chris Soules tweeted out a pic of his Kinze planter in action! The coolest part is seeing how proud you all are of your Kinze planters. Doesn’t matter if you’re pulling a brand new 4900 24 row, or an older 6 row Kinze that’s celebrating its 20th planting season, the pride certainly shines through in all your photos.  But don’t just take our word for it!  Check out all of the...
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7 Tips for Planting Season

Planting season has returned! To celebrate we have compiled a list of planting tips and reminders to help get you and your Kinze planter primed for action. 1. Graphite Done Right Standard Hoppers: Once the hoppers are full, take your bottle of graphite and make a good line around the edge of the hopper. Bulk-Fill: We recommend using at least 1 – 2 lbs. of graphite per 50 units of seed, which can be layered in as you fill the hoppers. Tip: To verify you are using enough graphite, open the meter and rub your fingers over the disc, backing plate, housing etc. They should be black from graphite use. If not, add more graphite. 2. Let's Talk Talc Talc...
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Time to Tune Up Your Monitors and Modules

Getting ready for planting season now means that we need to check more than just the “nuts and bolts” on our farm equipment. Today, precision ag technology drives the functionality of many of our tractors and planters. Therefore, it’s equally important that you take time to make sure you are up-to-date with the latest versions of software on your monitors and controlling modules. Here are current versions of supporting firmware (as of 3.20.15) for the monitors Kinze is compatible with: Here are the current versions of firmware for Kinze controlling modules (as of 3.20.15): Click here for more information, including instructions on how to perform firmware updates. For troubleshooting and support, please contact your Kinze dealer.
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Great Kinze Innovations: the Adjustable Width Plow

By the late 1960s, Jon Kinzenbaw had made a name for himself in the farming community by re-powering John Deere 5020 tractors. As interest in them grew so too did demand for product demonstrations. The only problem, however, was that Jon couldn’t find a plow capable of keeping up with the 320-horsepower tractors. A borrowed plow kept plugging up on cornstalks because it lacked vertical and lateral clearance between the bottoms. So Jon set out to buy the best plow available, but couldn’t decide between a 16-inch or 18-inch cut. It occurred to him that a farmer shouldn’t have to choose one or the other.  As Kinzenbaw recalls, “Both (the 16- and 18-inch plows) had the same components. It’s just the...
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Kinze’s Family Owned Values Make a Difference for Farmers

We continue celebrating 50 years of loyalty, innovation and improvements with the next post in our year-long series on Sparks of Innovation. This series will take you out in the field to meet our customers and hear why they stay true to blue. This month, we’re visiting with Jim McGee, a Kinze District Sales Manager serving Indiana and Michigan.  For Jim McGee, Kinze is a great example of a family-owned business. Many of the farmers Jim works with operate a family farm. Kinze understands and shares the values of these family business owners, which makes a difference in customer experience. Kinze is known for listening to customers and responding to their needs with innovative solutions. Jim emphasizes that his customers aren’t...
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How to Minimize Compaction and Increase Yield

It’s not news that planters today are bigger – much bigger – with more rows and attachments as well as higher seed and fertilizer capacity. THE BENEFIT: Planting efficiency + time savings. THE DRAWBACK: More weight going across the field, especially in pinch rows (the middle 6 rows of the planter next to the transport tires). More weight can mean a less than ideal seedbed, and field compaction reduces yield by reducing oxygen and water to the plant roots and restricting root development. As recent plot tests by Farm Journal show, the impact on your bottom line can be considerable. For example, say you’re planting 2,000 acres of corn with a 24-row bulk-fill planter. If 25 percent of total rows planted are pinch rows...
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Kinze Shines at National Farm Machinery Show

What a week it was at the National Farm Machinery Show! The largest indoor farm show in America celebrated its 50th anniversary this year and once again brought together tens of thousands of farmers, ranchers, agriculturalists and equipment manufacturers to talk about the best and latest in agriculture. Kinze, which also celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, made the trip down to Louisville once again and we couldn’t have been more pleased by the outcome. The show’s location provides a unique opportunity for us to meet with many of our loyal customers and dealer partners, particularly those located outside the Midwest. Overall, we were blown away by the size of the crowds and the amount of booth traffic we received this year! The 4900 Multi-Hybrid...
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Jon Kinzenbaw Receives 2014 Iowa Farm Bureau Distinguished Service to Agriculture Award

Jon Kinzenbaw will be the first to tell you he’s never been in it for the awards and accolades. Still, it’s always nice to be recognized for your hard work and achievements. That was the case a few weeks back when Jon received the Distinguished Service to Agriculture Award, presented by the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF), for his many patented innovations and the tremendous impact he’s had in the world of agriculture during his storied career that spans five decades. The award was presented at the annual meeting of the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation. Now, Jon’s name and achievements will be recognized in the permanent display at the IFBF headquarters in West Des Moines, and we encourage you to check out...
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Have a Merry Christmas!

As we give thanks to all of you for another wonderful year at Kinze, we reflect on the many blessings bestowed upon us this holiday season. How humbling it is to see all the hard work and dedication that has brought us to this point. This was a particularly special year for us at Kinze as we started production on the world’s first electric multi-hybrid planter and continued progress on the autonomous harvest system, the world’s first large-scale, truly autonomous row-crop solution. The excitement generated by these planting and harvest solutions has been absolutely phenomenal, and we look forward to further progress in 2015. So as we get ready to tie a bow on 2014, we would simply like to say thanks for...
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Good Tidings and Great Joy at the Kinze Christmas Open House

Cookies, hot cider, crafts, musical performances, book signings and Santa. The annual Kinze Christmas Open House in Williamsburg had it all, and we couldn’t be more thrilled by all the people who turned out to join in the seasonal festivities! The open house – which took place Thursday, December 4th at the Kinze Innovation Center – featured musical performances by Williamsburg Junior High and High School vocal and instrumental groups, a Santa meet and greet, and a book signing for the new Kinze children’s book “A Tractor and His Boy” with author Mike Dyktra and Kinze President and CEO, Jon Kinzenbaw. The Christmas spirit has made its way across the pond as well, as Kinze Europe recently hosted a Christmas celebration...
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