Farm Progress Show

It's that time of year again, and Farm Progress is kicking off this week. I always enjoy this show, because often times vendors will debut new equipment or features at this show. As always, I will post anything I hear about that is new right here on my blog. This year the weather promising, so it should be enjoyable to all in attendance. The lineup of vendors and seminars this year also looks to be very good. You can find out more about the show and the schedule at www.farmprogressshow.com/

If you plan on attending, make sure to stop by and say hi to my friends in the Ag Leader and Trimble booths. They are always available to answer questions, or share thoughts about Precision Ag.

Data Management

So often we forget about one of the most important things in Precision Ag. Everyone talks about hardware; how much money they can save, how much easier it has made field operations. One of the most powerful tools we have available to us is actually the software. The data that is captured from each pass across the field can serve as very detailed records. Those of you with automatic shutoffs on your planters, you can download the data from the monitor to get planting dates, location of hybrids, productivity, and even field elevations just to name a few. The software allows us to manage the operation from a viewpoint we didn't have the luxury of seeing just a few years ago.

All this data is a wonderful thing, but it has to be managed to be valuable. There are several different possiblities for this. You can buy a copy of software and spend some time in front of it learning how to run it, or buy a copy of software and hope your wife or children learn how to run it. In either of these cases, I would strongly suggest some professional training. Most software vendors offer training classes, and in the case of SMS from Ag Leader, HTS teaches classes annually as well as offers one on one training, both in person and remotely.

Lets not overlook another option for those of you that don't want to sit in front of your computer working on this. You can hire a professional to process your data and provide you maps. This is a great solution for those that don't want to spend the time learning the program and analyzing the data. HTS can also help out here, as we offer several different options, custom tailored to fit your needs.

The bottom line is, we are collecting this data, and there is great value in it. Don't let technology stand in your way when there are so many different options available to make sure you get the most out of your investment.

Gearing up for Fall

All across the farming community, it is starting to happen. Machinery is getting serviced and prepared for harvest, some are trading up to a newer piece of machinery. In the process of getting everything ready, don't forget about your precision ag equipment. Spending a bit of time getting the technology ready now can ensure that your data will be accurate, as well as save on frustrating hold ups during harvest. The obvious things are to check cabling for damage and make sure everything is secure, as well as check the flow sensor for wear, but there are some other things that need attention as well and often get overlooked. If you don't feel comfortable checking these things over, or want to have one of our expert technicians tackle this for you, contact HTS and ask about our Precision Maintenance Plan. This plan offers onsite pre-season checks of your equipment as well as priority phone support in season. Below is a list of items to check from Ag Leader, but most of them will apply to pretty much any yield monitor system on the market.

Pre-harvest Checklist

• Clear Data from the card
• Clear Loads
• Change / Create field names
• Set Grain Type For Each Field
• Set Swath Width – (for each grain type)
• Stop Height Calibration – (for each grain type)
• Vibration Calibration – (for each grain type)
• Temperature Calibration
• Distance Calibration

Checklist of Things To Do During Harvest

• Moisture Calibration – (for each grain type)
• Grain Weight Calibration – (for each grain type)