Western Canada Farm Progress Show!

[SASKFARMER3]

Its that time of year and farmers will be out tire kicking this week in Regina.
Dealers are licking their lips hopping to get guys to bite on any thing that seems new, same or old. Crowds will be big depending on spray season. If its nice day to spray crowds will be down. Optimism has dropped a little since early April because of the weather problems in Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba.
Hope any one that comes to the show enjoys their time in Regina.

[ColevilleH2S]

June 18th-20th

[bucket]

One of my great pleasures in life is to go to this show and see the equipment I can't afford. However on the positive side as my father in law always said "someone has to buy the new stuff so there will be good used"

And thats the key to looking at that stuff - what was successfull and what wasn't and to remember it a few years down the road.

Its good to see how this equipment fairs. Look at the seed hawk - every company is building something like it.

[boarderbloke]

bucket (and/or others), you mentioned the Seed Hawk, and i'd like to ask, Why didn't the Conservapack drill ever take off(like the Hawk and Master have)? (yes i realize JD has it now) but it was out at least 20yrs ago with an "independent shank depth control" system. was it that stupid tank they had, or the fact that you could trade you old unit?? was it only those two things, or were there more factors involved???

[bucket]

Sometimes its timing. Getting the product to the guy everyone is watching or someone grows a hell of crop and its all due to this or that piece of equipment. Maybe seed hawk had a better dealer network or availabilty.

I ask myself why john deere has the 1895 and case ih wont adapt something similar with their disc drill.

I look at those independant opener machines and the jury is still out. I have watched people with them go back to Flexi coils.

[GrainBeetle]

If they painted it green and called it JD they would of been millionaires.

[SASKFARMER3]

Looked at the Seed hawk comes up nice but rough. Seed master same. Few neighbors have them.
Bourgault looks good but their nuts with their pricing. THEY THINK THEY HAVE GOLD.
This year as cold and wet as its been emergence is same on all. Disc is worse than the rest. I always go to the show to look at one product that were thinking of buying and spend the day comparing.

[freewheat]

The conservapak I don't think had independent openers back then. They had the two shanks, followed by a putzy little skinny hollow plastic type cheap seeming packer wheel. The depth was not indepndent. It was a basic cultivator frame, with big ass heavy duty shanks and no real advantage. That is why it didn't take off IMO. seedhawk came along and gave us true blue hydraulic independent depth control. the beujot brothers argued, split up and went separate ways, with norbert starting seedmaster. Now all the mainliners have been copy catting them. bourgault does think they are god, not just gold. A few years ago they blast seedmaster/seedhawk because they think they suck. Two years later they are copying them. I laugh.

I have been folowing the seedhawk saga since 1996. I have wanted one since 1996. But alas my pockets are empty still, and I am now watching the neighbors all around me buy into what they finally clued in on last year. I mentioned the seedmaster to a neighbor several years ago. He laughed at me hysterically. Now guess what? HE HAS ONE AND I DON'T!
But i'm not bitter....LOL

[Hopperbin]

While we are on the issue of Seedmaster.
I believe they have produced 1500 units to date. Is there anyone out there that can say that the Straw Track does not work? I want to purchase one for next year and don't have a neighbour successfully using it yet. Guess I could make some phone calls and find out. Do they work well when interfaced with the GPS unit? Anyone got the packer pressure sensor? One thing for sure there is technology flying around at the show. I am going weather I have to spray or not. Will just cost me 2500 in custom spraying charges.
Purhaps there should be an Agriville booth there. Sponsor a country singer, serve coffee , and or beer. Hint hint.

[SASKFARMER3]

Its going to come down to economics and probably the Seed Master 84 ft will have it over the Bourgault, Deere or Flexicoil.
Bourgaults 32% increase is a joke. Plain and simple.

[bucket]

I am a disc man.I like my 1895. Allows me to stay ahead of the sprayer and wait for the wild oats although that proved to be unsuccesful this year. But its nice to keep going even when the sprayer can't. Had some mustard put into bone dry dirt at 1 1/4" and 5 days later my brother was spraying beside it, he wasn't happy with himself when he stopped. Mustard had come through already. Field finish is smooth. I recommend getting level fields before this system. No hog trough from discers.

We also double burn if possible, it can save in crop occasionally. 300 to 400 acres of flax last year received no in crop. That 6000 bucks. It helps.

[Hopperbin]

What experiences have you had with that disc machine in different straw conditions? Or do you not have much straw?

[bucket]

this year with it being so dry - no problem. It was a new drill new disks and cut great. I have had pinning problems but usually got lucky with a rain and it proved itself. Once you are on the same row spacing year in and year out its ok. The advantages of very low soil disturbance, field finish, and the spraying has convinced me.

[Hopperbin]

I rented a Flexicoil 6000 once for 1500 acres. Was the best emergence ever and I hear you on the clean fields. What scared me was the maintenance, a few hours work daily. Much of the problems caused by other farmers using it. Cannot turn with the machine in the ground. Actually planted a wheat crop on one new field with the weediest history there ever was and the crop came up clean.

[bucket]

There is a reason why flexi coil not in that business anymore. Don't even look at those 6000's.

In 7 years of using jd 1860 or 1895 never lost a main brg. Sure I change a gauge wheel but thats wear and tear.