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Tractor Talk Discussion Forum

amazing how much farm equipment has changed.

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Jonathan

07-03-2004 20:02:02




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I often stop and think of how far farm equipment has come, like a Farmall M used to be a "big" tractor, and the Allis Chalmers 190 used to be a big tractor during it's day, etc... but now they are considered kinda small, and I find it amazing to compair old things to new, like look at how much hay balers have changed capacity wise verses the old JD 14T. Tractors have gotten huge, like for example the big 500hp articulators produced by CNH and JD. To think years ago a tractor that could pull 4 to 5 bottoms was a huge tractor, but todays tractors could probably pull 12-15. Look at how mowing hay used to be done with a sicle bar mower and I think most of those were 6'-7' wide, but some of todays mowers are mounted to the front and rear of the tractor and I see some that are 30' wide. Can you imagine what people who have been gone for alittle while would think now.

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Ray

07-05-2004 09:29:22




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 Re: amazing how much farm equipment has changed. in reply to Jonathan, 07-03-2004 20:02:02  
Hi, two thoughts to add to this thread - How does anyone think farming will change if oil heads above $40/barrel? Personally I believe that oil and labor are interchangeable, and labor (with smaller equipment) will return to American farms when oil becomes expensive enough. Second, I just returned from a short (10 day) visit to Japan. If you think all farmers in the world are farming like we do here in USA, you haven't been paying attention to the rest of the world. We are a tiny minority of the worlds' farmers, and our methods are only valid in the cheap oil (and cheap water) era. When oil (or water in irrigated areas) becomes expensive enough, our current farming methods will look as outdated as all the horse drawn equipment being used as lawn ornaments. The plastic won't last as long as that cast iron though. My $0.02.
Ray

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Paul in Mich

07-06-2004 18:49:37




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 Re: Re: amazing how much farm equipment has change in reply to Ray, 07-05-2004 09:29:22  
Ray, They were saying the same things you're saying now when fuel was 18 cents per gal. We are oil dependent, but not anywhere to the extent of the Europeans or Japanese. we could also roll back oil prices by 30 or 40%, and reduce our usage by the same amount, and it wouldnt amount to a hill of beans, as lower prices would cause more usage, and less usage would create a surplus and nothing would get done, causing higher prices, so its a moot point, even though none of us like paying higher prices for fuel..

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Paul in Mich

07-04-2004 09:48:45




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 Re: amazing how much farm equipment has changed. in reply to Jonathan, 07-03-2004 20:02:02  
Jonathan, Not only equipment, but ther whole process of farming has changed dramatically in the last 40 to 50 years. Much has to do with equipment technology, but much has to do with the continuous development of newer hybred seeds, incecticides and herbicides. We have gone from making 4 or 5 passes across a field before planting, to no-till. The time was that the "Big tractors" were used for the heavy tilling, and the "Lighter tractors" for planting and cultivating. Now it take a 200hp or more and 4wd articulating tractor to handle some of the planters and drills. I wont even go into the GPS systems, seed and fertilizer monitoring systems *( not just letting the operator know when he ran out of either), and other technology making its way into main stream farming. I know I wont be here to see it, but imagine what farming will be like 50 years from now. Mind boggling for sure

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greenbeanman in KS

07-05-2004 09:37:48




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 Re: Re: amazing how much farm equipment has change in reply to Paul in Mich, 07-04-2004 09:48:45  
You bring up many valid points about how farming has changed.

When I moved from western KS to south central KS I also found out that just a change in territory means some completely different farming methods, etc.

There were weeds growing here locally that I had never even seen before, let alone know how to control them.

Nice rich fertile loam was traded for sandy soil that quickly leaches the nutrients out.

My gg grandfather published an agriculture book in 1867. In it he tells that he had hired and used as many as 50+ men at one time. I expect this was during grain harvest. Any idea how many men it would take to do the work of one large combine today? Hm? How many teams and wagons would it take to haul the crop to town vs. a tandem axle grain truck?

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Ron

07-04-2004 03:49:37




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 Re: amazing how much farm equipment has changed. in reply to Jonathan, 07-03-2004 20:02:02  
Sure is.

40 years ago a farmer bought a tractor figuring he would still be farming with it 40 years from then. Tractors were made from cast iron and steel, were easy to work on, and were very reliable. They, and all their parts, were made in North America by people who had a work ethic.

40 years later our modern tractors are made from plastic, are "computerized", require a computer to work on them, and are not so reliable. Most of the parts, if not the whole tractor, are made in countries most people can't find on a map by people who really don't care if the thing lasts a week in the field.

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msb

07-04-2004 17:59:21




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 Re: Re: amazing how much farm equipment has change in reply to jfky Beware OT, 07-04-2004 03:22:08  
Very well stated JFKY.My hope is remanant is now being prepared to do battle with those forces that have degraded our society.A friend owns a 700 acre farm in northern In. that was at one time a part of a 7,000 acre spread.So things don't always keep getting bigger or more corrupt.



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Roy in UK

07-03-2004 23:26:40




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 Re: amazing how much farm equipment has changed. in reply to Jonathan, 07-03-2004 20:02:02  
How about 17 furrows? (good video too)



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buck

07-03-2004 21:00:47




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 Re: amazing how much farm equipment has changed. in reply to Jonathan, 07-03-2004 20:02:02  

well the sickle bar mower has been around for around 100 years now and I don't know that it is any better because you call it a conditioner. I remember putting up loose hay and hand shuckin corn for the cows. Was talking to an old farmer down the road that bales those 2000 lb bales and ask how many small squares was in one of them bales as I can relate to how many cows you can feed per day on so many square bales. He said you really cant compare them as it takes more hay in round bales than in square bales to feed the same amount of cows. Said round bales is all about saving time and labor but the end product is very little if any increase in spendable income. Sorta funny how we spend 100 grand for a tractor to save less that 10 dollars in hourly wages. Guess it is the same as the Amish comparison.

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Mark - IN.

07-03-2004 21:48:45




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 Re: Re: amazing how much farm equipment has change in reply to buck, 07-03-2004 21:00:47  
Buck, it's a funny thing about the Amish. I'm surrounded by them, and have never figured them out, exactly. Nice people. Most by me still have the biggest draft horses you'll ever see one bottom plowing. Although, I've seen a homemade steam tractor or two, and believe it or not, one had a crawler. As I understand it, because although I admire their workmanship, I don't ask them their business, but I watch it - they vote amongst themselves every year what "new" technologies to allow into the communities, and perhaps the next year, vote them or something back out. I've seen buggies with inflated car tires as well, not many though. Two big things I'm seeing now are vinal sided houses (Amish) with no electricity, and Chevy pickups in the driveway next to the buggy. Ever seen a propane powered refridgerator? I almost bought a farm from an Amish couple that had one, but it didn't stay as part of the deal - not sure I wanted it to though. And the house had indoor plumbing (AG hose and valves) and central air that they never used and weren't aloud to. I bid on a farm (last parent died, kids had their own, wanted to be rid of it) and lost out to the Amish bank (not like your or my bank) - eight elders came up in a stretch buggy (four bench seats) like I'd never seen before, walking around with calculators and mumbling amongst themselves. They blew me and my bank out of the water at bidding time, and that young couple and their baby got them a farm that they'll live their lives out on, and good for them. But the one thing that still hasn't changed as far as I can tell, their crop yields. I stand at the edges of their rows and have never seen a change in row or plant spacing (not out by me), nor any hybrids, I guess that's why most of the young ones work in RV factories out by me - but they sure do good work. Excellent work. Mark Krzyzanowski

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Shane

07-04-2004 08:45:39




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 Re: Re: Re: amazing how much farm equipment has ch in reply to Mark - IN., 07-03-2004 21:48:45  
You must live in Wakarusa or Nappanee. The Amish have different churches that allow different technologies into their lives. Some communities are really strict and some are pretty lax. Really neat people to be around. And yes they can get more money rounded up then you could dream of. Know of an Amish kid several years ago that needed a kidney operation to the tune of over $700k and in three days they had it in cash! They ended up getting it for much cheaper since they had cash.

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buickanddeere

07-03-2004 20:51:00




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 Re: amazing how much farm equipment has changed. in reply to Jonathan, 07-03-2004 20:02:02  
Tractor mounted loaders were awkward contrapions until the very early 1960's. Then suddenly the design of such a simple device improved and has changed little since the mid/late 1960's. Where would be be today without them?



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greenbeanman in KS

07-05-2004 09:20:40




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 Re: Re: amazing how much farm equipment has change in reply to buickanddeere, 07-03-2004 20:51:00  
Loaders, where would we be without them today?

Fit and not obese? Was that a trick question?



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Del

07-03-2004 20:49:03




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 Re: amazing how much farm equipment has changed. in reply to Jonathan, 07-03-2004 20:02:02  
I have often wondered what would have happened if farming had stayed at what I call the level 4. 4 row planters, 4 row combines, 4 plow tractors. If Nothing bigger had come along for a while. Yes I know the answer; HIGHER FOOD PRICES. That might not have been all that bad. Just look at fuel and energy prices. Most of today's food prices are not for the food anyway but the packaging,advertisement, and handling. If a local dealer sold 10 smaller unit in place of one large one, down the road he'd see more parts and repairs. And basically more jobs. ( I am not seeking nor will I accept political office). This should some neat replies.

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Mike M

07-03-2004 20:19:56




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 Re: amazing how much farm equipment has changed. in reply to Jonathan, 07-03-2004 20:02:02  
It has changed but is it really for the better ?? Sometimes I'm not so sure. I read about a study that was done compareing modern farmers to the local Amish farmers and it wasn't that much different income verses expenses.The Amish have less expenses and less yeilds compared to the high expenses to get higher yeilds. I think this study was done by the Ohio O.A.R.D.C.



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BRN in KS

07-04-2004 11:16:21




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 Re: Re: amazing how much farm equipment has change in reply to Mike M, 07-03-2004 20:19:56  
Yeah, it sure has changed, and not all for the better in some ways. I grew up on a family farm, third generation to live on it and couldn't imagine doing anything else for a living. My Dad had a full time job and farmed as a hobby because the 320 acres were not enough. (Central Kansas).I admire the Amish and Mennonites, they know bigger isn't always better and they raise families on their land and preserve it for their children.

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