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TO TILL OR NOT TO TILL?

It is simply amazing how farm practices continually evolve as technology, research and good old fashioned trial and error each play a role.

Within the farming community, it is easy to spark a lively conversation by asking a “to till or not to till” question. We have been helping to champion le-till initiatives for nearly thirty years and have seen the many benefits of this approach. There are however, times when tillage is the wisest, or only, choice. 

For those who have decided against purchasing a heavy no-till drill, there may be a need for a light disking to size and stabilize heavy stalks in preparing a fall seedbed for small grain planting. Some years may require remedial tillage to level ruts caused by harvesting or planting equipment which was operated in very wet conditions. The increasing preference for “organically produced” or “pesticide free” food is also causing some growers to turn to tillage as a means of seedbed preparation. We continue to experience the need to pull a deep-till ripper through compacted zones found in a selection of the many soil types represented in the Northeast region. This is done in order to eliminate ponding and to allow water to percolate through the soil. 

FALL TILLAGE TIPS

In any event, as one considers the ongoing need or desire for some form of tillage, a few common sense reminders are appropriate. Below are the most important tips to consider for fall tillage.

• Be sure that the machine is pulling/operating level; front to back and side to side. It wouldn’t be the first time where we have seen more harm than good being done to a field when the tractor operator is more focused on the tunes coming through the radio than on the fine job of soil prep/residue management.
• Replace worn soil-engaging parts when needed, and not after it is too late. Ripper tips are far cheaper than the shanks which hold them. Badly worn blades on a disc harrow will greatly inhibit its ability to function well. A collapsed c-flex hanger will limit a tillage tool’s capacity to perform a level job if the machine has been operated in rocky conditions. This should be checked thoroughly before taking the tool to the field.
• Because tillage equipment seems to be among the first pieces of machinery to be stored outside, here are a couple of things we have paid attention to over 50 years of observation.
• It is a good idea to store winged equipment in the unfolded position. When bearings are exposed to weather for extended periods of time, they should be slightly over-greased and in a vertical posture. This will minimize water penetration into the bearing. This is especially important in colder climates where freezing will take a toll on bearings.
• Also, regardless of the season, if a blended mist of one part diesel fuel and two parts hydraulic fluid is sprayed over a machine which sets outside, especially one with soil-engaging components, it will minimize rusting and help to sustain paint luster.

BENEFIT FROM THE LATEST INNOVATIONS WITH NEW EQUIPMENT INVESTMENTS.  

Even when times are financially tough, a greater return on investment can often be found when your outdated equipment is replaced with the latest and greatest. Our Sales Team is well-versed in the knowledge of tillage and fitting innovations in new equipment to your needs.  

Landoll designs and builds specialty tillage equipment, much to the satisfaction of Customers who have come to expect excellence from Agriteer and the products we represent. 

Tom and Andy Bollinger are a father-son duo who operate a dairy and crop farm in Lancaster County. Dealing with heavy residue cover, rutted or compacted soil, and having a need for seedbeds which are “as level as a mirror” as Tom commented, gives their 23’ Landoll 7530 an opportunity to really show its stuff! “This machine has enough weight to penetrate in the toughest conditions and yet has plenty of built-in floatation and hydraulic leveling capacity that it really levels well in all our different fields,” observes Andy. “It is very versatile and with the in-cab adjustment for gang angle, the performance is just tough to beat!”

The Landoll 7530 is just one of many products that we are prepared to spec in order to fit your tillage needs!

TILLAGE EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE AT AGRITEER

We specialize in offering the very best new farm equipment as well as used farming equipment you can trust. This includes new tillers and used tillage equipment from brands such as Sunflower tillage and Landoll Farm Equipment. Our Team of agriculture equipment specialists are always available to help you make the best purchase decision for your farming equipment needs.

Products mentioned in this blog post:

Hydraulic oil: Purchase 5 Gal. Bucket of Hy-Tran Oil

Landoll 7530 Series VT Tool: View 7530 VT Brochure