Automation

[Partners]

Even with current tech..life not that hard.nice cabs on most machinery.gps..bins monitored..hopper bins..if getting older hire the sprayer..grain hauled..
The younger generation will even have it easier..all at a cost though..

[fjlip]

"Farmers are not technology technologists. Sensors fail, wiring shorts, sun spots, cell towers, power outages, etc etc the systems better have built in testing and diagnostics to point to the faults and recommended repairs or what the failure is ( no codes thank you), or a central call Center that monitors everything where a person technician will call you ( like a security system call Center)
- machine down, emergency service only happens on Fridays long weekends, when time is of the essence, and they are swamped with all the calls because every one is busy."

That is absolutely necessary! Currently have a dead tandem nobody can fix...electrical! Son is auto tech, constantly upgrading. Everything is getting more complicated, scary shit he says. Just open your Duramax hood, can't hardly see the engine for sensor harnesses, pipes, wires! Just close it and call service!
Ford/GM 8 speed transmission they designed in common, has a chain drive oil pump...great idea... will see.

[Tucker]

You know Klause it's noble to want to try to design something to help fellow farmers but you have to ask why all this technology was created in the first place. I love autosteer. I love section control. I love all that shit. Makes my life heaven compared to those ****ing long days up and down the field in the old 4450 working summerfallow years ago. My current truck has an autoshift tranny now. It's a Meritor 12-speed very similar to the Volvo I-Shift. Heaven. It's 2018, **** off with stirring my own gears. That transmission wasn't designed to make my life easier even though it did. It was designed and implemented in trucks now so that any steering wheel holder could take 100k pounds from point A to B. Kinda like the Humboldt accident truck. We can. Should we? Maybe keep some skill required in farming.

[macdon02]

Give me a 3D printer that'll punch out robots, drones or some other tiny mechanized creatures using chips from China, that'll run around each field picking weeds and applying fungicide to affected plants or swats bugs as needed. Solar powered army that just doesn't stop

[Rareearth]

Good point Mac

What would we need to grow a crop organic?
- biologicals and other nutrient sources
- I like the drone/robot weeders

- I like even more the revenues, less expenditures (risk) and the growing market

[SASKFARMER3]

I like the money printing press.

Oh, that would be so great because with farming you just piss money away all day.

3D printer could be cool to have.

Ah shit, it would probably be quicker than our contractors in Florida. FML.

[macdon02]

In theory you'd reduce pesticide use on crop itself by probably 80ish% depending how accurate the robot can get. You would be applying only to the weeds. **** these TUA's and gmo bullshit. Not sure it would ever be totally organic but if there's some mechanical removal running for 6 weeks we don't need the latest and greatest $30 shot of snake oil. Likely be more effective in the long run.... "I have a dream"

[sawfly1]

great topic , love the responses , nice to hire younger people to teach
me how to think in the new world of tech. take a picture of it . and they google the manual
before I am done looking for it in the shop . (feel like an idiot )
hard to teach old dog , but I am trying.

like I tell my kids when they ask for advice , do not ask me , I know everything you need to know to about surviving in the last century how much good it will do you ? you figure out

sadly in their mid 30s , they are almost too old, so you end up mining your grandson for info
but there are actually things of value in there too .

[sumdumguy]

I would like a diagnostic code reader that would quickly identify computer problems especially ones associated with ag diesels and hydraulics. If we could easily find and fix computer glitches that are causing so much aggravation, it would make our lives so much more enjoyable and reduce stress at seeding and harvest.

[farmaholic]

There has already been great technical strides in the last century. My Dad has seen alot of changes and I wonder what farming will look like by the time I'm his age?

It seems the changes are more advanced each time and more frequent, probably a parabolic line if charted since the Wild West was tamed.

I've had a tough time adjusting in the beginning but am better at adapting to and adopting some of the new technology.

My question would be, just how much of it is truly necessary?

Some literally makes my life easier, while some I haven't adopted I just consider hair splitting.

You've all heard me claim our efficiency gains just get stolen anyway.

[AlbertaFarmer5]

Keep in mind that the easier we make things down on the farm, the less barriers to entry there are. Not many people want to milk cows by hand, fork into a threshing machine, hand weed, or drive an open tractor in the dust/rain/blizzard. But a lot of people would be quite willing to push some buttons on a computer to do theses same jobs with no knowledge or hardship required

[bgmb]

Good reason to own land.