Planting Equipment

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Partners & Friends,

We are currently experiencing a rain delay with approximately 350 acres of corn left to plant. This post includes numerous pictures of our new planter and tractor that we are using this spring. The last time we had new equipment was 50 years ago, in 1975, when we acquired a new MF 1085 tractor paired with a new IH 400 4-row planter, which had a spring tooth tillage attachment on the front. At the Hess Family Farm, equipment decisions are made with great care. Given the high costs, all input decisions are thoroughly considered and evaluated. Equipment, maintenance, and fuel costs exceed $150 per acre.

Our new planter is equipped with hydraulic downforce, individual row shutoffs, variable population capabilities, high speed planting tubes, and row closing adjustments that can be controlled from the cab. These features were all add-ons on our previous planter. The importance of precise planting has become increasingly evident over the past decade. The highest yield potential is achieved the day the seed is planted, and it must be done with utmost precision. There are four monitors in the cab providing real-time data to assist with decision-making as we move through the field.

My earliest memory of planting involves riding on the seat of a horse-drawn planter that had been converted to be pulled by an 8N Ford tractor. I was the "planter monitor," ensuring that the seed levels in the boxes were dropping evenly to prevent any rows from getting plugged. I wonder what planting will look like 70 years from now.

We have received about 1 inch of rain so far. Moisture conditions are good, but there is no surplus. We have been able to keep up with spraying for weed control right behind the planters. We are preparing to side-dress NH3, and hay making will begin soon. Here is a video link to a news segment about planting in the area—check it out. Summer projects are starting, and there are many summer events happening.

We are eagerly awaiting to see how the administration will address renewable fuels. The standards set now will influence how communities are treated in the coming years and the emphasis placed on green crop production. Will we "pay the farmer" for carbon reduction?

It's that time of year for baseball to begin, spring dance recitals, and high school graduations. Phyllis and I had a wonderful time last weekend in St. Louis, where our granddaughter Miriam guided us on an Anheuser-Busch Brewery tour. If you're ever in St. Louis, don't miss the chance to experience an AB tour; it's a great way to learn about brewing and enjoy some local history. We have two granddaughters heading to college next fall—Cora to University of Illinois and Miriam to Purdue University.

Fall Prices:

  • Corn: $4.50

  • Soybeans: $10.25

Enjoy Spring!

Steve