Home-Built Variable Seeding Rate Unit

Home-Built Variable Seeding Rate Unit PLANTERS Planters 24-1-34 My home-built variable seeding rate unit is much simpler and less expensive than any GPS system. There's no computer, no GPS annual fee, and no maps. It lets me change the seeding rate for any crop from the tractor cab on-the-go, adapting to different soil types without ever getting off the tractor. I mounted it on my 9-row 22-in. planter which I converted from a Kinze 6-row, 30-in. model. Key to the system is a hydraulic-driven, variable speed drive pulley off an old Gleaner combine. It mounts on the toolbar, connecting to the chain cogs that drive the planter units. Agritronix Corporation of Franklin, Ind., was very helpful updating and programming our monitor with a special chip to record the population every 20 ft. instead of every 50 ft. A faster read-out was needed because you are changing plant population in a relatively short distance. Compared to actually getting off the tractor and switching cogs on the planter to change your population, the time saved is phenomenal. With this variable seeding rate, populations can be changed immediately. This unit will save money in seed cost, approximately 3 percent per acre. A GPS system would cost $15,000 to $20,000. This variable seeding rate unit cost about $200 to $400. Most farmers already have a monitor which could be updated to record the population change faster. If a new monitor is needed the cost would be about $2,000 for the monitor. Figuring corn at $2 a bushel, it's possible to net $16 more per acre. (Edward Huffmeyer, 365E County Road 700S, Greensburg, Indiana 47240 ph 812 663-8607)

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