Equipment

Matt Miles once believed a yield monitor was a nice — although not completely necessary — gadget for the combine. Today, he won’t let the combines roll if the yield monitor isn’t working properly. Matt and next generation son, Layne Miles, explain the adaptations their farm has made since Layne joined the farm full time in 2016. Technology and data analysis allows the Miles to reduce water use, manage resources, and even keep an eye on straying employees. They explain how they go about gathering and applying data and how you can do the same on your farm to achieve better — more profitable — outcomes!

Planters have come a long way since the old days but there’s more to making your planter profitable than just paying for new paint. Dan Luepkes explains the Precision Planting system on his retrofitted planter. We start in the machinery shed overviewing the components of the equipment then move to the field. Throughout this hands-on “field trip,” Dan tells us the why and how of maximizing your seeding effort through precision planting. If you want bigger yields, watch this!

Chad is taking advantage of the short window between wheat harvest and his double-crop soybean planting to take care of some drainage issues on one of his fields. Tile is not something that is common in the south, in fact it's very rare. Chad and Darla Huff from Advanced Drainage Systems show you the installation process of what might be the beginning of a new trend in the south.

Having won the NCGA state yield title 10+ times, Kevin knows a thing or two about growing high-yield corn. In this video, he is getting ready to plant his 2021 NCGA Netafim drip irrigated plots and breaks down the Nachurs and Concept Agritek products and mix ratios that he will be using in his 4x4x4 and in-furrow planter applications.

Scott Meldrum of Van Wall Equipment gives Kelly a detailed breakdown of the maintenance and common wear areas on the ExactEmerge planter seed meter and seed tube components. Scott discusses proper settings and maintenance checks to conduct before you head into the field, including disc and seal care, hub height, knockout wheels, seed sensors, brush belts and more.