Reducing expenses when drying grain
Written by admin on October 29, 2009 – 1:52 pm -Depending on the method you use, it costs between 11 and 30 cents a bushel to dry grain. Ken Hellevang, North Dakota State University Extension service agricultural engineer, and Tom Dorn, Extension educator with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, describe four ways that can help you cut costs. Management is important You have control of how you operate your bins, and Hellevang says this is a big potential money-saver. Most bins are operated between 210 and 220 degrees Fahrenheit, says Hellevang. "Some operators turn the temperature down to save money by not burning as many gallons of fuel per hour," he explains. "The unfortunate thing about not burning as many gallons of fuel is that it isn't doing as much drying either." Hellevang emphasizes... more
Tags: Farm Economy
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Future Farming Is Here Now: Self-Steered Tractors and UAVs
Written by admin on October 20, 2009 – 6:23 pm -It was 1903 when Robert Blair’s great-grandfather began farming the dry ridge overlooking the Clearwater River near Lewiston, Idaho. In 2001, when Blair took the reins, the farm’s books were still kept by hand. Now, he has deployed a set of Darpa-like technologies, including unmanned aerial vehicles and self-steering tractors. “In six years, I went from just having a cell phone to my tractor driving itself, and having a small airplane flying and landing itself on a farm,” Blair said. The new precision farmers are hacking together a way of making food in which the virtual and physical worlds are so tightly bound that having his tractor steered by GPS-guidance with inch-level accuracy is ho-hum. Autosteering of farm machinery has exploded... more
Tags: Farm Economy, Tractors, Used Tractors
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USDA, farmers report varied harvest progress
Written by admin on October 15, 2009 – 2:50 pm -Jeff Caldwell Agriculture.com Multimedia Editor Whether the crops are ready or not, the freezing temps that have slid through corn and soybean country in the last few days have slammed the book on the growing season in most of the Midwest. So, what's that mean? About a quarter of the country's corn will leave the field immature. As of this past weekend, about 3/4 of the nation's corn crop is fully matured, according to Tuesday's USDA Crop Progress report. That's almost 20% more than a week ago, but still almost 20% below the previous 5-year average. Corn harvest is at a similar pace: 13% of the corn crop's out of the field, versus the previous 5-year average of 35%. Only 3% of the corn crop was harvested in the last week, according to Tuesday's... more
Tags: Farm Economy
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Efficiency helps farmers cope with shortage
Written by admin on October 6, 2009 – 7:38 pm -By Kate Campbell Assistant Editor Soil expert Dave Goorahoo of California State University, Fresno, left, reviews operating programs on a satellite-guided tractor with Chuck Dees, irrigation manager for Stamoules Produce Co. The Mendota-based vegetable farm is a leader in deploying innovative irrigation technology. Farmers talk about "crop for drop" to gauge the efficiency of food production compared to the amount of water applied. And Chuck Dees, irrigation manager for Stamoules Produce Co. in Mendota, likes to talk about "smart water." With 14,000 acres of vegetable crops—corn, melons, peppers and broccoli—using water wisely is more than just a good idea. These days, with a three-year drought and delivery restrictions cutting federal... more
Tags: Farm Economy, tractor fuel efficiency, Tractors
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