Planter preparation tips

Apr 05, 2017

Consider this checklist as planting season approaches

By Diego Flammini
Assistant Editor, North American Content
Farms.com

With #plant17 around the corner, Farms.com caught up with Chris Dahms, a precision land management specialist with Robert's Farm Equipment in Chesley, to put together a list of elements farmers should consider when it comes to preparing for planting.

Seed bed prepatation should be first priority, Dahms said.

“(Farmers) have to look at (their) tillage equipment first,” Dahms said. “A general, physical inspection to ensure sweeps aren’t worn out, bearings aren’t out of the gangs or discs aren’t cracked or warped could go a long way."

Checking tractor and implement tires can help the equipment perform better, especially in a corn crop, Dahms said.

"If you're trying to plant corn you need your tractor (tires) set at the right width," he said.

When it comes to the planters, Dahms said producers should take a variety of elements into consideration.

Disc Openers
Ensuring seeds are being planted in their intended spot is crucial to farmers, said Dahms.

“You have to make sure the disc openers aren’t worn out (and) that they’re going to open and place the seed where you want it,” he said. “Seed placement is key. There’s no more dumping seed down and hoping for the best.

If you’re in a no-till situation, check the trash sweeps to make sure your disc opener is clear.”

Metering System
Checking the metering system is another way farmers can help the planter perform well, Dahms said.

“If it’s finger pickup, you should make sure the fingers are hitting the plates correctly. On an air seeder, you need to check that everything still fits tightly and is going to meter correctly. You don’t want to think you’re putting down 100 pounds of something when you’re actually putting down 110 pounds."

Fertilizer
If producers are using their air drills to apply fertilizer, the implement needs to be calibrated and checked for wear and tear, Dahms said.

“For liquid fertilizer, (farmers) need to check for cracked hoses, leaks and fittings,” he said. “It’s like fixing plumbing in an old house. You want to make sure nothing is leaking.”

Tips from a Farmer
Josh Butler, a cash crop producer from Croton, offered some of his own tips.

“I try to cover the basics like making sure everything is greased, chains are tight and pumping tires before the first planting day,” he said. “You don’t want to be waiting until the last minute to do those things. Before I start planting I’ll unfold the planter to make sure everything works correctly.

“Sometimes I’ll even drive with it to make sure everything is steering the way it should.”

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.