Farm Hacks: Improvise With Existing Tools to Make Repairs in a Pinch

Rapid and Right-Angle Screw Driver

Do you lack the tool to remove screws in an inaccessible location? Do you need to make quick work of removing stubborn screws without stripping out their heads (when using an electric drill)? The solution here is to use a ¼-inch socket to hold a hex-end driver bit. You’ll need to employ the socket reducer in your set to pair that small a socket to your ratchet. In use, press down on the ratchet head with your hand to provide sure contact with the screw head.

Ready Soldering Clamp

Some fine wire connections require soldering to provide a solid connection. The frustration with this chore is holding the two ends of the wire together and upright while, at the same time, applying a soldering iron and solder wire. Create a make-do soldering hemostat with a pair of needle-nose pliers and a rubber band as shown above. You could use a locking needle-nose pliers, but the locking mechanism can crush the wire coating, which would create a potential short.

Ready Wrench Extension

Are you in need of extra reach to remove a bolt or nut hiding in a hard-to-reach location but you lack an extra-long boxed end wrench or ratchet wrench handle for the job?

A quick solution is to combine two wrenches to create a tool extension. The trick here is to loop the boxed end of the first wrench through the open end of the second tool so they “lock” together. This tool trick has the extra benefit of giving you more leverage to remove stubborn fasteners.

 

Pipe Wrench to the Rescue

Rounded-off nuts or bolt heads can prove a huge challenge to remove even with the use of a locking pliers, which can spin round the nut when extra leverage is applied.
The quick-fix solution is a pipe wrench. Not only are the teeth on a pipe wrench more aggressive than a locking wrench (thus biting deeper into the nut or bolt head) but also the locking action of the bottom jaw forces those teeth into the fastener for a sure hold. An added plus is that the pipe wrench handle is longer to provide more leverage.

source: successful farming

Tire Tool Innovations from Chicago Pneumatic, Ken-Tool, and Craftsman

Chicago Pneumatic Bottle Jack

Chicago Pneumatic’s bottle jacks are engineered with a double-guidance and chrome-plated steel piston made from one piece of metal. Other features include a large base plate, a safety valve to protect against overloading, and a two-piece handle. Model capacities range from 2 tons and a lift extension of 13½ inches (model 81020) up to 55 short tons and a lift extension of 19 inches (model 81502).

Ken-Tool Snap-In Tire Valve Tool

The Ken-Tool model 29850 is specifically engineered for the installation of the snap-in type of rubber tire valve stems used in automotive, light truck, and trailer wheels. The unique tool features a notched polymer rim guard with five fulcrum notches that provide you with the right leverage points to pull and seat a snap-in tire valve in the wheel. Plus, the Tire Valve Installation tool has a full pivoting head to ensure the correct stem angle as the stem is pulled into position on the rim.
The tool retails for $32.99, which includes a lifetime warranty.

Ken-Tool Sidewinder Kit

Ken-Tool’s 17.5 Sidewinder Kit is designed to allow a single person to dismount and mount 17½-inch truck tires. Tools in the kit include the demount tool that lets you apply high leverage to the wheel and tire to separate them, as your weight keeps the wheel and tire assembly from lifting off the ground. The mount and bead holder tools provide maximum leverage and prevent slippage. Included in the kit are a leather rim protector and gap tool.
The kit retails for $349.95

Impact Wrench Designed for Tires

The CP7736 ½-inch impact wrench delivers up to 670 foot-pounds of torque in reverse through its 2-inch anvil to break and then remove tire lugs. Chicago Pneumatic equipped the wrench with a twin hammer mechanism to provide more impacts per minute in addition to a steel motor for longevity.
Other features include three-speed settings in forward operation.
 The list price for the CP7736 is $196.

 

One Wrench Set for All Fasteners

The design of Craftsman’s Extreme Grip five-piece wrench set features movable jaws that create a solid fit on standard, metric, and rounded fasteners.
The suggested list price on the set is $59.99, which includes a lifetime warranty.

Busts Duals Apart

The Ken-Tool Shark Fin separation bag exerts up to 5,000 pounds of force to separate and to remove stuck dual wheels from axle studs and hubs.
Safe to use on steel, aluminum, or chrome wheels and with 15- to 24.5-inch rim diameters, the Shark Fin comes with a 3-foot inflation hose.
Suggested retail price is $499.95.

Tool Set for Truck Tires

Ken-Tool’s deluxe version of the Blue Cobra truck tire service set features all the items shown including the Blue Cobra demount tool that can demount the top and bottom beads on truck tires in seconds. The model 35444 tool set is safe for use on aluminum and chrome wheels.
Suggested retail price is $693.82.

Kano to invest N200m to boost rice production

• Seeks to achieve over 2 million tons in 2017
• Increases loan packages for rice farmers
• Concludes plan to employ more extension workers

The Kano State Government has designated over N200 million in the recently approved 2017 budget to boost rice farming in the state.

This was disclosed by the state’s Commissioner of Information, Mohammed Garba, informing that this was part of the state government’s efforts to increase rice production in the state, generally improve the state’s agricultural sector and complement the Federal Government’s efforts to reduce over dependence on crude oil.

According to him, “rice and wheat farmers were given N150 million loan in 2016 to boost production in the sector, while in 2017 we are planning to increase the loan. All necessary measures will be taken to ensure that the ordinary farmers in the state benefit more from the gesture”.

Speaking further on the efforts of the state government in rice production, Garba noted the success of rice production the state enjoyed in 2016, stating that Kano mustered over 1.5 million tons of rice in the year.

The Commissioner communicated the state’s resolve to increase the production figures in rice to over 2 million tonnes in 2017. He also explained that to this end, the state had concluded plans to employ more agricultural extension workers to assist farmers across the state, with the overarching aim of improving and increasing rice production.

“These extension workers would be going round the farming areas to assist the farmers on how to ensure proper production of rice and wheat,” Garba said.

It could be recalled that Kano produced 1.6m tons of rice in 2016, that the state governor, Abdullahi Ganduje during an interactive session with farmers had revealed that the state produced 1,551,720 tons of rice in 2016, while wheat production experienced a swell increase by 84 per cent. The session included intimating farmers on loan recovery scheme of commercial triumvirate which included the Central Bank of Nigeria, Bank of Agriculture and the Anchor-Borrowers Programme.

Rwanda bans import of poultry products amid Bird Flu concerns

The Government of Rwanda has imposed temporary ban on all imported poultry products from Uganda and European countries due to outbreak of Avian Influenza (bird flu).

In a statement released by the country’s Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources, the Minister, Geraldine Mukeshimana informed all Rwandan business operators involved in the importation of poultry products from Uganda and Europe to stop imports

“We call upon all Rwandan business operators importing all poultry products from Uganda and Europe to cease with immediate effect. The disease is of great concern to our poultry industry and to humans,’’ said Geraldine.

Expressing the the need for quarantine efforts to be heightened has become increasingly necessary, Mukeshimana stated that poultry farmers must keep domestic birds indoors to avoid them interacting with wild birds.  He also added that people must stay away from carcass of wild birds and report any case of mass deaths of birds both domestic and wild to any nearest government authority.

The Minister also stressed the need for poultry farmers to ensure essential bio-security measures and standard hygiene precautions as well as early detection, immediate reporting and rapid response.

Meanwhile, Uganda has also confirmed the outbreak of the flu in wild terns – seabirds, and domestic birds which has led to mass deaths of wild birds on the shores of Lake Victoria in the country. This was confirmed in a statement released by the Ugandan Ministry of agriculture.

“The species so far hit by the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, or HPAI, are migratory white-winged black terns as well as domestic ducks and chickens’’, it reads.

The outbreak of the flu has also been reported in countries across Europe, including Hungry, Germany, France, Denmark, Czech Republic, Croatia, Romania and the United Kingdom.

FG targets 1 million metric tons of fertilizer by March

Federal government is to provide one million metric tons of fertilizers for wet-season farmers across the country by March this year, the National President of the Fertilizer Suppliers and Producers Association of Nigeria (FESPAN), Thomas Etuh has said.

Speaking to Daily Trust in Kano, Etuh, who is also member of the Presidential Committee on Fertilizer Initiative, said a bag of both NPK and urea fertilizer would be sold to farmers at N5,500.

Etuh explained that members of the committee were in Kano state as part of their assessment tour to the 36 fertilizer companies in the country.

“The aim of the initiative is to encourage local production of fertilizer in order to create more job opportunities for Nigerians, induce reduction of inflation and reduce foreign exchange. We have 63 per cent of the raw materials needed for fertilizer production. We are to import only 37 per cent to our local producers,” he said.

He said the FG has promised to provide enough raw materials to the local producers, saying “we are touring the 36 fertilizer companies in the country to find out the companies that are fit to produce fertilizer for our farmers.”

A representative of Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), one of the financier companies, Uche Orji, said he was impressed by the commitment of Al-Yum Fertilizer and Chemicals (A F & C) formerly NAGARI fertilizer.

The Chairman, A F & C fertilizer, Aliyu Yusuf assured federal government of quality fertilizer, saying NAGARI is a well-known product all over the country.

Yusuf said the company will comply with federal government’s directives, stressing that “going by the federal government’s plans on fertilizer production, the problem of shortage of fertilizer would be thing of the past in the country.”

He warned workers in the company not to involve in any act capable of destroying the name of the company, as according to him the management of A F & C would not hesitate to punish any worker caught in making substandard fertilizer in the company.

“We will work closely with the federal government to address the problems associated with provision of fertilizer in the country. The FG has come up with good plans and we are ready to support government so that enough fertilizer would be supplied to our farmers in all farming seasons,” he assured.

Track Your Tools and Equipment With TICK

TICK from Milwaukee Tool is a professional-grade Bluetooth tool and equipment tracker that can be attached to any brand or product. Users then pair the TICK with the ONE-KEY app to begin tracking their inventory.

“The goal of ONE-KEY is to simplify the process of managing tools, removing costly or cumbersome methods used today. The ability to quickly identify a tool’s location can save time and money if a tool goes down or is needed on short notice,” says Steve Matson, senior product manager. “By harnessing the same Integrated Tool Tracking technology found within ONE-KEY enabled tools, we’re giving users a way to track any tool, simply by attaching the TICK.”

The TICK can be attached by glue, screw, rivet, or strap. Its low-profile design and flat back give it a snug fit to a variety of surfaces, and it’s easily hidden from view in a range of places.

In addition, each TICK is laser engraved with a serial number so users can identify and assign multiple TICKs.

Tool records and locations are updated when any device with the app comes within 100 feet of the TICK. These location updates are transmitted through any ONE-KEY app that’s in-range, regardless of whether the app is open or not, allowing users to pinpoint missing tools more quickly.

Users can also manage their tools through the app’s Simplified Tool and Equipment Management features. These features allow users to assign and store detailed information for all of their tools and equipment – whether it’s a tool equipped with a TICK, a ONE-KEY enabled tool, or any other tools and equipment.

The TICK will be available in February 2017. Prices range from $29 for a one-pack to $999 for a 50-pack.

source: successful farming 

Soybeans Turn Higher Wednesday

Overbought market is correcting

DES MOINES, Iowa -- On Wednesday, the CME Group’s farm markets have turned mixed, as soybean prices moe up.

At mid-session, the March corn futures are 1 3/4¢ lower at $3.63, and new crop December 2017 futures are 1 1/2¢ lower at $3.91 per bushel.

March soybean futures are 4 1/4¢ higher at $10.73, while November 2017 soybean futures are 8 1/4¢ higher at $10.28.

March wheat futures are 2 3/4¢ lower at $4.30.

March soy meal futures are $1.60 short ton higher at $350.40. March soy oil futures are $0.14 higher at 35.70¢ per pound.

In the outside markets, the Brent crude oil market is $0.35 per barrel lower, the U.S. dollar is higher, and the Dow Jones Industrials are 18 points lower.

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Tuesday’s Grain Market Review
On Tuesday, the CME Group’s farm markets remain stronger, with the soybean complex leading the way.

At the close, the March corn futures finished 7¢ higher at $3.65½, and new-crop December 2017 futures finished 6¼¢ higher at $3.92½ per bushel.

March soybean futures closed 23¢ higher at $10.69¼; November 2017 soybean futures finished 1½¢ higher at $10.20.

March wheat futures ended 7½¢ higher at $4.33½.

March soy meal futures closed $14.90 per short ton higher at $348.80. March soy oil futures closed 0.04¢ lower at 35.56¢ per pound.

In the outside markets, the Brent crude oil market is 12¢ per barrel higher, the U.S. dollar is lower, and the Dow Jones Industrials are 107 points lower.

The trade is eyeing the crop-damaging floods in Argentina.

On Tuesday, private exporters reported to the U.S. Department of Agriculture export sales of 102,944 metric tons of corn for delivery to unknown destinations during the 2016/2017 marketing year.

The marketing year for corn began September 1.
Jack Scoville, The PRICE Futures Group’s senior market analyst, says it is a weather market right now.

“There were widespread reports of 5-inch rains in central and northern Argentina over the weekend, plus northeast Brazil and southern Argentina remain dry. The buying started right away last night and has been building today. It is holding well,” Scoville says.

“We will trade the weather for a while. March beans have swing targets to $10.86 per bushel right now, and November’s contract could run close to $10.40. Corn prices are going along for the ride, but it can go higher and up to $3.75 or so, then $3.88 longer term. The threat of losses in Argentina is real, and we are putting all that into price,” Scoville says.

source: successful farming

2017 Mike Omotosho Lecture: Ooni, others call for collective effort on Agric

Sectoral players in the Nigerian agribusiness space recently convened in Abuja for the 2017 edition of the annual Mike Omotosho lecture. The event was held over the past weekend at the Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja with “Increased Agricultural Productivity for Sustainable Economic Growth” as the theme.

The year’s lecture witnessed various key players and stakeholders discuss issues across the various value chains in the agriculture sector while also lending their voices to a new course of collaboration for growth and development in the country, through agriculture.

The Ooni of Ife; His Imperial Majesty, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi Ojaja II, was also present and addressed the gathering in what is seen as an enlightening speech.

The monarch noted that Nigeria is blessed with all resources needed to be economically buoyant but the resources have been under-utilized. He decried the fact that many Nigerians have ignored the potentials agriculture, and choose to blame the government for all and sundry.

“We put the entire blame on the government, but what are we doing? Let us stop deceiving ourselves, we have all we need, but how are we using it?” he asked the group.

Lending credence the Ooni’s position, the Vice-President of the Nigerian Agribusiness Group (NABG) and Chairman, Best Foods Global Limited, Emmanuel Ijewere highlighted post-harvest losses and logistics, and lack of innovation as challenges against agricultural productivity in Nigeria.

He called for sensitization of farmers on preventing post-harvest losses as this would save 70 per cent of their produce from perishing.

Stakeholders highlighted major problems mitigating against the growth of the sector as lack of accessibility of seedlings to farmers, failed policies, poor funding among others. They said the farmers were not consulted in the process of drafting programs and policies for the sector, hence serial poor implementation of such policies was inevitable.

Speaking on the state of agriculture in Nigeria, the Registrar, Nigerian Institute of Animal Science, Professor Eustace Iyayi, stated that Nigeria is at the point of recession where oil is no longer the option for survival. He opined that there was a need to explore new ways agriculture can be used to improve local production, while encouraging exportation.

In the words of Professor Iyayi, “there should coordination in policies; embrace innovation for crop or livestock production, there should be proper regulation so that we come up with processes that give us good product if we are targeting the international market”.

National President All Farmers Association (AFAN), Kabiru Ibrahim also addressed the gathering, stressing the need for small farmers to be the target of the policies of the government.

He also noted that the budget for agriculture was a far cry from the 10 per cent Maputo declaration signed by African states in 2003. Ibrahim opined that as long as lip service is being paid to the Maputo declaration, and only a meagre budgetary allowance is being given to agriculture, its growth would only be stunted.

The commercial sector also had representatives present at the gathering with Central Bank of Nigeria and the Bank of Industry at the core.

The overarching message was that though finance was very important; it was not the only essential element for productivity. They stressed on the need for synergy and capacity building via empowerment programs to encourage the youths to embrace agriculture. Progressive partnerships with non-governmental organisations and multi-national agribusinesses were also highlighted as key factors to attain progress in the sector.

The stakeholders however agreed on the need to address the issues effectively and create working synergies in order to increase Agricultural productivity for sustainable economic growth in Nigeria.

Forget Your University Certificates, Go Back To Farm – Aregbesola

Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun have charged university graduates to dump their certificates and go back to farm, urging them to see agriculture as viable alternative to white collar job.

The governor said the call was necessary due to the menace of unemployment among Nigerian youths.

Aregbesola gave the charge while delivering a speech at the 6th Convocation Ceremony of Fountain University, Osogbo, adding that the present economic situation has shown Nigerians the need to encourage farming as the only alternative to crude oil.

He explained that there was no aspect of life that could do without agriculture, saying Nigerian graduates must henceforth stop searching for formal jobs that realistically remained elusive.

He called for productivity, resilience and hard-work among Nigerians, stressing that the present nation’s economy demands one to be self-employed.

Aregbesola noted that there is no other alternative to sustain Nigerian economy than to build and encourage requisite interest in agriculture and brace up with anything that could promote food security.

The governor maintained that all Nigerians, as a matter of urgency should invest in things that would enhance farming in the next five years if truly the nation was ready to overcome her present economic challenges.

Lamenting the glut in the global oil market, which has brought about dwindling revenues to all tiers of government, Aregbesola emphasised the need for massive participation in agriculture.

“There is need for us , especially our young graduand’s to lead the nation in promoting agriculture as the only realistic surviving alternative to economy.

“We must not but embrace farming because it is only agriculture that has direct links to all aspects of life.

“Nigeria has grown to the stage through which her food production capacity must be urgently expanded to meet the general needs of the citizenry and as well enhance exportation.

“The time to enhance productivity has come. We must all embrace productivity. We must produce whatever we desire to consume”, he added.

Congratulating the graduating students, Aregbesola charged them to adapt to the virtues they acquired from the institution.

He called on them to get prepared for the challenges ahead and life after university which he described as “challenging.”

“You must all prepare the challenges ahead especially at this period of over saturated tendencies of labour market. You need grim determination to succeed. You must be rational and critical in the application of the knowledge you have acquired”.

Aregbesola appealed to those who are perpetrating violence and criminality in the name of Islam to have a rethink, using the precious and reputable saying, “violence is directly antithetical to Islam.”

Earlier in his lecture, Professor Abubakar Rasheed, who is the Executive Secretary of National Universities Commission(NUC)and the Guest Speaker at the event charged both private and public organisations in the country on the need to invest more in education.

He said the country has gone to a stage where education should be seen by all as a bedrock for national development, hence calls for the need to encourage participation in both basic and higher education.

He implored stakeholders in the private and public institutions in the country to rescue the nation from her present education backwardness as a matter of urgency, by establishing more universities.

Meanwhile, in his remarks, the Acting Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Abdullateef Usman called for better funding of university education.

He said the country can only develop if proper attention is given by all towards the provision of quality education.

Prof. Usman called on government to further invest in education, saying doing this would save the country and as well serve as panacea to economic growth and development.

“Our governments must do more in educating citizens who are expected to pilot the future affairs of the nation.

“If we really want to develop capacity in quality education and churning out graduates equipped with required virtues, thus no stone must be left unturned in ensuring better and adequate funding.

“The governments are expected to do the needful by earmarking better funds to support education both in terms of academic infrastructures and finances”.

Prof. Usman congratulated the 128 graduating students, advised them to multiply the virtues acquired in the university as they go into the new world of challenges.

Nigeria’ll regain world’s largest cocoa producer position — FG

THE Federal Government has declared that Nigeria will regain her lost position as the world’s largest cocoa producer and exporter soon.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, disclosed this during the inauguration of the Cocoa Relaunch Committee at the headquarters of the Ministry in Abuja.

Ogbeh said the government’s move to realise the lofty ambition was possible with the inauguration of Dr Olayiwola Oluwole-led committee for the country to attain the top spot from its current seventh position in world cocoa producing countries’ ranking.

He said: “In-house here, we can say it is a shame for us to be seventh on the list of cocoa producers in the world. But we must reverse it to be at the top and that is why we are here. This is the time to do it and no other time than now.

“Cocoa can be grown in many parts of the country. We cannot afford to remain seventh cocoa producing nation. We are going to take over from Cote D’Ivoire as the largest cocoa producer in the world. We can earn huge foreign exchange from cocoa because oil and gas has done damage to our economy and we have to go back to agriculture to rescue the economy.

“We are going to have cocoa relaunch campaign in March at Ondo State, and we want all cocoa farmers from cocoa producing states to be present. You have to come up with materials that could be used for cocoa production because cocoa can be grown in many parts of the country and presently there are 27 states that can grow cocoa.

The cocoa farmers need to be enlightened on what they could do to improve on what they have been doing in the industry.”

The minister also expressed confidence in the newly inaugurated committee and charged them not to hesitate to come up with useful approach to move Nigeria’s cocoa producing capacity higher than it has been, and also stated that farmers are to be in charge of cocoa and not government.

Speaking on behalf of the committee, the chairman, Dr Olayiwola Oluwole, thanked the minister for the confidence reposed in them, some of whom are being drawn from both public and private sectors. He promised to work assiduously to ensure Nigeria recovers her lost glory of being the largest producer of the commodity in the world and also number one cocoa exporting country in the world.