Tips for Organizing Parts

Paper bags and detailed descriptions are the keys.

Oftentimes, the most challenging part of working on any machine is keeping the fasteners, brackets, or parts in order and properly identified. An additional concern may be the location of a special fastener due to its size, length, or a worry over marginal threads.

The issue of keeping things organized and identified changes little if you are working on an engine, planter, or center pivot irrigation unit. The system you employ to accomplish this must be easy to work with, adaptable, and inexpensive.

A picket-fence stand of corn speaks volumes about the quality of the farmer. Putting everything back in its rightful place when reassembling a machine makes the same statement about a mechanic.

You wouldn’t plant corn with a broadcast spreader, so why throw parts in a box and try to figure it out later? As an aside, properly identifying and storing items removed from a machine makes reassembly extremely quick and produces better results. Plus, you can stand back and look at the job with pride.

It is extremely important when it comes to wear and moving parts that they be reinstalled in the same location. For example, all rocker arms, pushrods, locks, and retainers need to go back to the same cylinder head location.

In like fashion, if you take a seed meter apart, the cover and brush need to stay with the same row unit. Anything that moves will create a wear pattern and should go back with its mate.

When I had my shop, I’d have apart as many as 10 engines at one time, so I struggled with storing and identifying the small parts. I tried all different methods with varying success, until one day, I stumbled on a concept that worked great and cost little to no money. I used brown paper lunch bags purchased in a supermarket. (You can get 100 new bags for around $2.)

Be very descriptive

It is best to use a marker and write on the bag what is inside. If need be, you can make any notes or a crude drawing to identify a location or concern. My bags read something like this: Cylinder #2 intake valve parts.
Depending on the concern, simply add a footnote: Check rocker arm stud threads. Or, you can note a fact with a drawing and words: Long bolt at 2 o’clock position.

If the parts are fairly clean when they go into the bag, you’ll be surprised at how sturdy the bags are. If the machine will be apart for a long time, gather up the bags and place them in a tub or in the cab. When it comes time to put it all back together, it will be a breeze.

source: successful farming

SF Blog: 6 Tidbits from Gregg Sauder

One of the highlights of my new product circuit is always getting to see Gregg Sauder present at his company’s annual event, the 360 Yield Center Open House. Sauder is animated, charming, and trusted by the hundreds of growers who show up each of the three nights the event is held.

I enjoy listening to Sauder describe farming through relatable stories, address microbials as “Mike,” and share his own studies and findings each year, but I’m not the only one.

Sauder has become a sounding board for grower ideas and a resource for many, which is clear when growers eagerly ask questions of him during a Q&A session after the formal presentation. Sauder seamlessly switches from Sauder, the company president, to Gregg, the farmer, depending on the question asked.

Here are six interesting tidbits from Sauder’s recent Q&A session:

1. If you’re applying starter, Sauder thinks you should be putting some zinc down. He has had great success with zinc in his starter applications.  '
2. Salting crops for a quicker dry down will work, but Sauder has some concerns. Don’t overlook how much damage could be done when you’re flying through the field salting at such a late stage. What damage is being done to those mature ears hanging down?
3. When growing cover crops, be sure you’ve really done your homework on what kind you’re planting. “You have to understand when to kill it in the spring. Be careful when growing crops like corn and rye that use the same root structure,” Sauder says.
4. Make an iPhone light meter your best friend if you’re serious about understanding how much sunlight your crops are taking in – and you should be, he says.
5. Biologics are OK, but Sauder has seen mixed results and wishes he could pinpoint what’s working. “I’m not against them, by any means, but I wish I could quantify them,” says Sauder. 
6. If you’re trying to figure out what to apply with Y-Drop, Sauder puts 10% sulfur in his application because he knows corn plants take up 50% of their sulfur needs after tassel. 

source: successful farming

A tough, capable and clever SSV range from Can-Am

KEY BASE FEATURES International model non homologated Heavy-duty Rotax V-Twin engines ROPS approved profiled cage 40/20/40 Bench Seating 25-in (63,5 cm) Maxxis tires on 12-in (30,5 cm) wheels 3 seats bench (40/20/40 ) 10.4 US gal (39.5 l) storage capacity The Can-Am Traxter range including the HD8 and HD10 three-seater BASE, DPS, XT and PRO (available in 2017 with T1B homologation to enhance the users’ overall riding experience both on and off-road) models as well as the six-seater MAX DPS have been designed from the ground up by BRP’s engineers to present users with tough, capable and clever SSVs for the utility sector, powered by the new Rotax 50-hp HD8 or 72-hp HD10 V-Twin engines. As of February 2017, the new entry level Can-Am Traxter HD5 will be available from all off-road dealerships with prices starting from £7,899 ex VAT

Edo Governor initiates Agric Committee, targets 80, 000 jobs

• Obaseki partners with private sector to revamp agriculture in Edo state

Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki has inaugurated a nine-man ad-hoc committee to start agricultural empowerment programme targeted at creating 50,000 to 80,000 jobs.

The governor explained that the committee was constituted to commence some of the administration’s agricultural activities before the next cropping season towards reviving agriculture in the state.

“This is an advocacy committee which we expect to start the agriculture mandate as contained in my manifesto. We will soon constitute a full committee to look at our agricultural initiative.

We want to ensure we begin some of our agricultural activities before the next cropping season. We want this committee to help the government think and identify the project we must implement”, he said.

Speaking on the scope of the programme, Obaseki highlighted four areas of focus including 5,000 hectares of maize, 10,000 hectares of green house for vegetables and tomatoes, 4,000 hectares of piggery.

Obaseki also avowed that his administration would provide support for 3,000 cocoa farmers to improve their yields.

The committee headed by the Obazelu of Benin, Chief Osaro Idah is a product of the Public Private Partnership between the State and private sector partners.

Expressing optimism that the partnership will lead to generation of employment for youths in the state, the governor noted that the partnership will also create wealth through agricultural activities and ensuring food security for the over 4 million people of the State.

He added that the Ministry of Agriculture will serve as the secretariat while the Secretary to the State Government will provide the necessary support to the committee that will in turn submit reports on the level of progress being made, weekly.

Lagos Agro Commodities Trading, Investment & Export Workshop

Agro News Nigeria in collaboration with MARIOK Farms presents the second edition of the Lagos Agro commodities Investment and Export workshop. The workshop is billed to hold on the 18th February 2017 in Lagos.

The Agro investment workshop and training is aimed at educating prospective investors and the general public on opportunities in Agro commodities; Production, Trading, Storage, Processing & Export. Also the training is to provide participants with hands on knowledge and skill on how to participate in the highly profitable Agro commodities investment.

Details are as follows;

The Business of Agro Commodities; Production, Trading, Storage, Processing & Export
(Raw Cashew Nuts, Ginger, Soybean, Palm Oil, Palm Kernel Oil, Palm Kernel, Hibiscus, Sesame Seed, Shea Nuts, Ground Nut, Onion & Tomato)

Featuring;

*How you can invest in each commodity. *Making money through storage. * How to allocate money round year in different commodities for maximum profit. *Secrets of each trade. * Quality Determination. *Export opportunities (key) * Processing and value addition. * NEXIM Export Stimulation loan and procedures *

Date; 18th February, 2017

Venue; Chemline House Training and Event Centre Hall 1, 7,Obasa Road,Off Oba-Akran, Ikeja,Lagos. (Behind Forte Oil Filling Station).

Cost; N20,000.

To register; please text name and email to 08035044364

source: agro news nigeria