Login hub
Support
Help centre
The Farm Progress Show is a great place for comparing seeding systems. Saskatchewan brand names are everywhere – Seed Hawk, Seed Master, Morris Industries, Bourgault, Harmon and K-Hart, just to name a few. Saskatchewan farmers use a wide variety of seeding systems. All have their advantages and disadvantages. This year, producers using long-obsolete discers often have better crop establishment than they’re high-tech neighbours. There are also producers still using airseeders with sweeps, followed by harrow packing and they seem to get good results most of the time. Disc openers typically provide accurate seed placement with minimal soil disturbance, but sometimes you hear report of more severe frost damage on emerging plants because the system doesn’t leave as much black soil. For airdrills, there are all sorts of options for openers. This gets especially complicated if you’re double shooting and need separation of the seed and fertilizer. Several systems are now available that provide depth control for each individual packer and opener. Downward pressure is applied hydraulically. These systems follow the ground very well, but some observers worry about long term maintenance of the hydraulic systems. Which seeding system is best depends on your region, soil type, moisture conditions, fertilizer use, budget and personal preference. You can hear all the pros and cons while touring through the Farm Progress Show. I’m Kevin Hursh.
Kevin Hursh, PAg, CAC