Getting the Planter Ready for Next Year Starts Now
Whew! It was a busy spring waiting on the weather and then planting within a narrow time frame. That last night of planting got late and you rolled onto the yard about 11:00 pm, but it was finished and it felt good to have all the seed in the ground. Now you can relax . . . RELAX?! . . . no way, not with spraying to do and side-dressing to get done. There’s really never a dull moment around the farm in the spring. Now it’s summer and things are starting to slow down — at least just a little. You walk into the machine shed and there sits the planter still needing to be put away for the season....
In Kinze News
Regulations Concerning the Use of Drones (UAS, UAV) in Agriculture
By simply observing what is flying in the sky, it is easy to see that the use of drones on farms has increased exponentially over the past 5 years. What was once a device for taking striking video of equipment working in the field has evolved into a serious tool used on efficient and profitable operations. Many farm news sources have reported on the applications and benefits of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) and how rapidly the technology is growing. But what is also rapidly changing are the FAA regulations surrounding the operation of drones. As recently as 2015, it was essentially illegal for a drone to be used for anything other than “hobby pursuits.” Use...
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Core Value Leadership Awards
At Kinze, we operate according to a set of core values: integrity, customer focus, excellence, innovation and mutual respect. Our employees embody these core values each day. Last year, we implemented Core Value Leadership Awards to recognize individuals who go the extra mile and display a great example of one or more of our core values. These awards are given based on nominations from our senior leadership team. Our most recent awardees are Jeff, Fabrication Supervisor I, and Russ, Proto Tool and Die Manager, for demonstrating excellence. Nomination We received sprockets that needed to be stamped. We painstakingly hand stamped well over 1,000 sprockets with a hammer and stamp. Then we received almost 3,000 more that also needed stamped. Russ took...
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, Planters
The Advantages of Kinze Split Row Planters
Planting split rows, or the practice of adding row units between existing row units to plant narrow row soybeans, has been around for nearly 40 years. Originally introduced by Kinze Manufacturing, Inc. in 1978, split rows were initially achieved by installing row units side-by-side on Kinze rear fold frame planters. In 1983, Kinze introduced its unique, patented push row units, which were installed on the front of double frame toolbars, that enabled a single planter to be easily used for both corn and soybeans. The introduction of this innovative feature, and its incorporation as a common farming practice, provided farmers with trash flow and yield advantages. Trash Flow Advantages Kinze’s exclusive push row units have better trash flow and seed placement accuracy than other narrow row...
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5 Crop Information Apps for Farmers
There are many different smart-phone and web-based applications that can help farmers manage their crops with greater efficiency. It can be overwhelming selecting the apps that will work best for you and your operation. Some apps are free with in-app purchases for more functionality, while some require payment upon downloading. When searching for apps, pay attention to who creates the app, what data is collected, how data is used and shared, and how your data and privacy information is stored. Other factors to keep in mind are how much data and battery the app uses on your phone. Below are five apps that may help you monitor your crop information this season. Canopeo | Oklahoma State University Android, iPhone, iPad, Website...
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, Seed Meter
The Kinze Vacuum Meter
Since its introduction in 2014, the Kinze Vacuum Meter has consistently demonstrated superior singulation and seed drop for 99%+ accuracy at speeds up to 8 mph*. Here are some of the reasons why. Very Well Suited for a Variety of Conditions Uniform to irregular seedMany different types of seedsLow to high population ratesEasy and quick switchoversHigher planting speedsDesigned to prevent downtime Seed Disc Promotes uniform loading of seed cellsHas a smaller diameter and more seed cells for lower seed velocityFeatures an unobstructed, raised release pointProvides a low Coefficient of Variation (COV) Coefficient of Variation (COV) is the measurement of how well a meter is releasing seed and the variation of seed spacing that results. For more information, read our blog about COV....
Prepare Your Planter for Spring!
Wrestling state tournaments are done and the kids are now competing for state basketball titles, but where has the winter gone? Weeks from now the tractors will return to the fields and planting for 2017 will begin! Fortunately, you put the planter away well, but you seem to remember there were a few components that need replacement before starting to plant. To assist in identifying what planter components may need to be adjusted or replaced, and be prepared for a great spring, review the simple list below. To download the complete Kinze Planter Checklist to print and mark up while you inspect the planter, click here. Thoroughly inspect for loose hardware. Pay particular attention to: Parallel arm boltsTransport and field wheel boltsCenter post bearing...
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Navigating the National Farm Machinery Show
Kentucky Exposition Center, Louisville, Ky; February 15-18, 2017 The National Farm Machinery Show (NFMS) is the largest indoor farm show in the United States. It has eight exhibit halls spanning more than 1.2 million square feet. There are 850 exhibitors showcasing their latest innovations and products in the farming industry. In addition to hundreds of exhibitors, there are 11 free, educational seminars offered at various times throughout the show. Some are offered multiple days. Plus, you can’t forget about the Championship Tractor Pulls. With so much to see and do, how do you begin to navigate the show? Below are two great resources to maximize your National Farm Machinery Show experience. Map Your Show Map Your Show helps you find exhibitors based on...
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, Seed Meter
Seed Meter Drives – Then and Now
When you consider that today’s corn planters can routinely plant 500 acres a day, it’s hard to imagine that only 200 years ago a farmer did really well to plant only ONE acre of corn in a long day. Typically this was accomplished by one person walking along and making holes with a hoe, or “dibble stick,” followed by another farmer who dropped two, three, or four seeds in the hole before covering it and tamping with soil. Given the labor intensive nature of planting, farmers quickly developed ways to mechanize the process and make it more efficient. Whereas the planting of corn using “dibble sticks” was practiced for centuries, the invention of hand-actuated planters, horse-drawn drill-planters, and check-row planters all took place in a span of only 60 years once the Industrial Revolution...
Farming Practices in Europe
Farming is a global industry with significant activity on every continent other than Antarctica. As we have traveled the world and met farmers in many different countries, we have learned that there are many similarities in how we all go about producing crops to contribute to feeding our growing populations. Kinze has sold planters all over the world since the early 1980’s, with the majority of international planter sales in Eastern Europe and Russia. Despite many commonalities, there are noticeable differences to how we farm here in the US. In Europe and Russia, for example, there are variances in: Row crop spacingFertilizer (dry fertilizer is most commonly used)Primary crop types (sunflowers and rapeseed/canola are the main oilseed crops)Russia plants more...