equipment advice

[Tree Spud]

To me a Firminator does a few tasks at the same time and can be a big time saver. It does a "minor" tillage (depending on how it's set up) and a seed broadcast...followed by a cultipack of the seeds. Not a bad thing for a single pass.....especially if the tillage / disking is appropriate for the condition....really appropriate with small seeds.

I suppose we can identify these methods to plant seeds:

1. Tillage and spray....then broadcast....and drag or pack the seeds.
2. Throw and mow.
3. Spray and throw and mow. (or cultipack)
4. Drill baby drill. (and spray or mow previously)
5 Any combination or variation of the above.

We are all trying to do a similar (yet different) approach to getting the seed into the best scenario where it can grow. I think a Firminator is a good tool for many.

A true drill is certainly a much more precise planting device. I used an old Van Brundt 7 row planter for many years. It was good for planting soy beans and corn, it had a small seed box which I never used.

The issue becomes time at some point. When I was planting 3-4 acres, time not that big of an issue. If I had to break up ground I would first disk, then plant, then cultipack. 3 steps that took quite a while.

Now I plant 15-16 acres and time is a big issue. I can prep the ground by adjusting the disk angle from no tillage to various levels of tillage. You can also adjust the depth of the disk penetration. Plant your seeds and then cultipack all in one step. This was a big time saver in my mind.

I checked out drills and Steve Bartylla actually recommended I check out the Firminator. The only drawbacks are it does not have a small seed box and no seed tubes. The cultipacker does a good job insuring seed to soil contact. It is also 1/2 the price of an equivalent grain drill.

For me it was a good choice.

 

[omicron1792]

A true drill is certainly a much more precise planting device. I used an old Van Brundt 7 row planter for many years. It was good for planting soy beans and corn, it had a small seed box which I never used.

The issue becomes time at some point. When I was planting 3-4 acres, time not that big of an issue. If I had to break up ground I would first disk, then plant, then cultipack. 3 steps that took quite a while.

Now I plant 15-16 acres and time is a big issue. I can prep the ground by adjusting the disk angle from no tillage to various levels of tillage. You can also adjust the depth of the disk penetration. Plant your seeds and then cultipack all in one step. This was a big time saver in my mind.

I checked out drills and Steve Bartylla actually recommended I check out the Firminator. The only drawbacks are it does not have a small seed box and no seed tubes. The cultipacker does a good job insuring seed to soil contact. It is also 1/2 the price of an equivalent grain drill.

For me it was a good choice.


View attachment 67328

I have both a drill and Firminator. I like both. I could do with either and be hapoy

 

[356]

A Firminator or Woods seeder isn’t a drill. It also costs less than 1/2 of a drill. This is the direction I decided on for my Wisconsin rock farm

Edit : I’m not sure the exact name and model but the “Saya” drills seem to be the least expensive - new- when I was shopping. About $12k $14k depending on a few things. But the GP drill was nearly double that.

The Tar River "Saya" no-till model drills would likely work fine. The key would be to drill SLOW. These start at around $6K new and go up. There is a new model that is about 9K that has three seed boxes. The current models are set up by Tar River, so older posts about the headaches of setup should not apply (I have the "older" unit, and know what I speak of).