In Kinze News
Jon’s Antique Tractor Collection
This blog is an abridgment of an article originally written by Kinze employee, Claire Voss for the Kinze employee newsletter. Getting Started Jon’s Antique Tractor Collection is a must see for tractor collectors, enthusiasts and farmers. People have traveled from 18 different states, as far as New York and Texas. Some have traveled from Ontario, Canada and one traveled from Grantham, UK this summer. There is currently a two year waiting list to tour the Classic Antique Tractor Collection. It is a “bucket list” activity for most of these folks. Jon became interested in tractors at a very young age. His dad had one Farmall tractor and his uncles had a few more; one B Farmall, three H Farmalls, and...
In Kinze News
Indiana Farmer Believes in the “Blue Crew”
Since buying his first Kinze planter in the early 1990's, Dan Brettnacher readily adopts new technology and depends upon Kinze to deliver it. The Indiana farmer bought his 4900 when it was released in 2014 and has planted over 12,000 acres in three seasons. He is an avid fan of the 4900 and candidly says, "There is no doubt in my mind that my next planter will be a 4900 planter (and) as long as I am planting corn or soybeans, this is the planter that I want behind me!" Dan is also a fan of getting planting done as quick as possible. "With the 4900 planter, I planted right at 4,200 acres in nine days; one of the days I...
In Kinze News
Pack Up the Truck, It’s Time to Vacation!
Ahhh, the open road. For the next week or two, the job is left behind and you and the family are free to explore destinations unknown! But wait, sometimes the distance between "here" and "there" is more than anyone inside your sheetmetal time machine can handle. The kids, and yourself, need somewhere along that long ribbon of concrete to get out and run off some energy. Also, you secretly want to feed your compulsive need to see and touch things that are made out of steel and smell faintly of diesel fuel. So do yourself and the family a favor, take a break and stop at the Kinze Innovation Center where there is plenty of steel and a great story...
Time to Put Away the Planter!
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
John Deere V. Kinze Part Five: Perseverance Pays Off
Forty years ago, Kinze Manufacturing was just a small farm equipment startup near Williamsburg, Iowa. After developing several innovative products, the company was starting to attract the attention of farmers looking for ways to improve their farming efficiency. However, Kinze was also drawing the attention of the industry-giant, John Deere.The following is the final installment of a five-part series describing Jon Kinzenbaw’s early battles with John Deere - both in the field and in the courtroom. What started out as suit over row unit availability, eventually ended in a ruling that forever changed Kinzenbaw’s young company - and the ag equipment industry as a whole!This excerpt is from the book "Fifty Years of Disruptive Innovation" and is told in Jon’s...
Be Your Own Expert: the Brush Meter Breakdown
As planter technology continues to change, it’s important to know the in’s and out’s of your machinery so you can prevent problems before they arise. Plus, a little self-education makes you your own advocate for optimal yield numbers. With this thought in mind we want you to know the inner workings of one of the most important parts of your planter: the brush meter. A brush meter has four main parts:The Seed Disc – This is the only moving part in the meter. It provides singulation and loads the seeds on the disc. The average life expectancy is 100 to 200 acres per row. When the disc starts to wear out the population on that row or the entire planter will...
In Kinze News
John Deere V. Kinze Part Four: So You Think You Have a Patent
Forty years ago, Kinze Manufacturing was just a small farm equipment startup near Williamsburg, Iowa. After developing several innovative products, the company was starting to attract the attention of farmers looking for ways to improve their farming efficiency. However, Kinze was also drawing the attention of the industry-giant, John Deere. The following is the fourth installment of a five-part series describing Jon Kinzenbaw’s early battles with John Deere - both in the field and in the courtroom. What started out as suit over row unit availability, eventually ended in a ruling that forever changed Kinzenbaw’s young company - and the ag equipment industry as a whole! This excerpt is from the book "Fifty Years of Disruptive Innovation" and is told...
No-till Planter Tips for Spring Planting
Rugged terrain, heavy crop residue and soil compaction are challenges for all farmers using no-till planting methods. Yet, more and more farmers are moving to no-till practices, lured by higher yield potential. If done right, no-till planting can control soil erosion, reduce fuel and labor costs by eliminating extra trips across the field, and improve soil moisture and fertility. But successful no-till planting depends on making sure your planter is set up correctly. To start, it’s important your planter is in top condition so it can withstand the rigors of planting in previous crop residue. Essentially the first three steps of conventional cultivation are bypassed when practicing no-till, but you won’t gain any advantage if the equipment isn’t working properly....
In Kinze News
John Deere V. Kinze Part Three: the Battle Lines Are Drawn
Forty years ago, Kinze Manufacturing was just a small farm equipment startup near Williamsburg, Iowa. After developing several innovative products, the company was starting to attract the attention of farmers looking for ways to improve their farming efficiency. However, Kinze was also drawing the attention of the industry-giant, John Deere. The following is the third installment of a five-part series describing Jon Kinzenbaw’s early battles with John Deere - both in the field and in the courtroom. What started out as suit over row unit availability, eventually ended in a ruling that forever changed Kinzenbaw’s young company - and the ag equipment industry as a whole! This excerpt is from the book "Fifty Years of Disruptive Innovation" and is told...
In Kinze News
Proudly Made in Iowa
Made in Iowa. We take pride in saying these words when talking about our grain carts and row crop planters that are built at our manufacturing headquarters in Williamsburg, Iowa. We champion our Midwest roots to anyone who will listen. Not just because of the pride factor, but also because building farm equipment in Iowa translates to several benefits to local farmers. 1. Faster response to demandOur dealers will be able to get you the exact grain cart or planter that you want quickly. While it might take months for other companies to restock the in-demand items of the season, we are prepared to fill orders in a timely manner. 2. Customizable solutions to customers’ needsSearching for something specific? Just look to...