Tuesday, April 4, 2017
Yesterday afternoon, between rain showers, John, Brandon and I loaded some soybean seed into the air drill. It was a first for us, for this is the first time we’ve utilized a semi-trailer to haul the soybean seed. We added a different option to our new air drill’s conveyor– a flip-over device that slides underneath the trailer’s hopper. It took some maneuvering, but we got it. It seems to be working as we’d hoped. With this new style loading conveyor, we can utilize the larger-capacity trailer, rather than the old orange 10-wheeler truck. I think we can sell the old orange truck now.
Seed soybeans are moving from the trailer to the air cart.
We are observing very closely the way this new conveyor attachment works. There was a lot to learn with positioning both the conveyor and the trailer.
See those seeds with the pink coating drop into the air cart! Untreated,, of course, they would be yellow. The conveyor has a rubber belt that moves the seed…it is more gentle on the fragile soybeans than an auger. This variety is Asgrow 3334.
Normally, we obtain our seed at our seed dealer’s farm, which is nearby. It worked out this time that we could pick up this trailer load of seed at Crop Production Services (CPS). This was more convenient for both the dealer and us! At our local CPS, they coated the seeds with a pink-colored fungicide, called a “seed treatment“. This coating protects the seed and tiny bean plants in the soil until it emerges. A healthier start to the soybean plant is helpful toward a healthier plant and a happier harvest!
On the next appropriate warm and dry day, when the soil is in proper dry-surface condition, there will be some soybeans planted!
John is going to apply some corn burndown herbicide today. The soil is not perfect, a little wetter than ideal, but it is a do-able thing today. Low wind, no rain. Rain is predicted again tomorrow, so he feels the need to use this little window of opportunity to get some corn ground ready for the planter.
#plant17
