Different soils and climate do better with varying seeding apparatus. History has taught us some lessons about the particular perils of flat land gumbo and dry spring conditions.
During the " dirty thirties" a lot of the topsoil blew away. Farmers were seeding with double disc press drills on pre-harrow-disced summerfallow. Consequently the very fine light soil particles were left on the surface and wind erosion was the result. In a couple of windy days the crop was cut right off by flying dirt. Southern Sask Ag then adopted the 24 inch one-way disc, average length of 9 feet. The seeder box held about 10 bushels of wheat. The heavy disc pulled up lumps to stop the blowing. Then from farmers' workshops came 15,18 and 20 foot long discers with18-20 inch dished discs on 6 inch spacing with mounted seed and fertilizer boxes. Producers devised ways to hook them together and four wheel drive tractors pulled 75 feet at our farm. In the 60's Jerome Bechard, with the use of a tow-behind tank and fan invented the air seeder on cultivator shovels. Various adaptations have been made to that idea. Lately the push has been to narrower and narrower openers until today we are seeing single disc openers that leave the fine dust on top - smooth and loose. The use of these drlls on light lentil stubble offers nothing to hold the soil down. This year we have witnessed the worst blowing that we have seen in our farming career. The spring rains never came until June 13 and May was hot and windy. Now many farmers have a pile of work trying to repair the damage to crops, fields and our beautiful drainage projects. So the wheels on the bus do go round and round. Man does not from history. High speed discing may be ok in other soil and weather conditions, but here in the Wascana Flats it can be very dangerous. I am interested in how Agrivillers feel about the evolution of seeding equipment and can only speak to gumbo conditions. MHO
During the " dirty thirties" a lot of the topsoil blew away. Farmers were seeding with double disc press drills on pre-harrow-disced summerfallow. Consequently the very fine light soil particles were left on the surface and wind erosion was the result. In a couple of windy days the crop was cut right off by flying dirt. Southern Sask Ag then adopted the 24 inch one-way disc, average length of 9 feet. The seeder box held about 10 bushels of wheat. The heavy disc pulled up lumps to stop the blowing. Then from farmers' workshops came 15,18 and 20 foot long discers with18-20 inch dished discs on 6 inch spacing with mounted seed and fertilizer boxes. Producers devised ways to hook them together and four wheel drive tractors pulled 75 feet at our farm. In the 60's Jerome Bechard, with the use of a tow-behind tank and fan invented the air seeder on cultivator shovels. Various adaptations have been made to that idea. Lately the push has been to narrower and narrower openers until today we are seeing single disc openers that leave the fine dust on top - smooth and loose. The use of these drlls on light lentil stubble offers nothing to hold the soil down. This year we have witnessed the worst blowing that we have seen in our farming career. The spring rains never came until June 13 and May was hot and windy. Now many farmers have a pile of work trying to repair the damage to crops, fields and our beautiful drainage projects. So the wheels on the bus do go round and round. Man does not from history. High speed discing may be ok in other soil and weather conditions, but here in the Wascana Flats it can be very dangerous. I am interested in how Agrivillers feel about the evolution of seeding equipment and can only speak to gumbo conditions. MHO
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