[giver hard]

Im considering puchasing a 1870 drill 2009 model and a 2011 1910 cart and had a few questions I was hoping some of you guys who have experience with these units could answer. I farm in an area where it is usually lots of moisture in the soil in spring and the soils are cold and about half our land is cultivated in fall and the other half is zero tilled, Im wondering how these units would work in these type of conditions? I've heard conflicting reports on these units some guys say there extremely versatile and some guys say there only for dry land and are terrible in wetter soils. I'm also wondering about seed safety with these units would like to use nh3 and we usually just seed wheat and canola. thanks for any help

 

[giver hard]

also how would these units compare to say a seed hawk/master or bourgault 3310/3320

 

[SWFarmService]

The paralink system is verry versatile, depth control is awesome, haven't seen the Deere up close yet but concept remains the same. I like my seed master because of the smart hitch, airles packer tires, knives last a long time 25,000 acres on the first set, new ones have more carbide, only grease zerks on the caster wheels, never had to replace any bushings and they are still like new, powder coat, light frame goes through the mud well, lift kit makes it better, love these machines

 

[budfarmer]

Have a 56' paired row with a 430 tbh and maxquip nh3 kit with sectional control and prescriptions. Seed into all kinds of soil, Very low organic sand to very high organic matter peat soil. The firmer the soil the better the job it does. The fall worked fields are best just to light harrow or harrow pack in the spring if you need to do something. They may require some adjusting of the drill from the no till. Just about no adjusting when switching in no till fields. Have been very wet here the last couple years so just dialled back the packing pressure. Found the nh3 very safe, have gone as high as 130lbs of actual n as nh3 on canola with no problems. If you are unsure get a nh3 detection kit to check separation.

 

[giver hard]

thanks for the info on the master they sound like nice machines.

 

[giver hard]

thanks for the info bud farmer Its good to hear from an owner of these machines. the unit I'm looking at is a 56 ft with a tbh 430 bu cart as well. I'm wondering with how skinny the packer wheel is on these units if when you have a field with lower areas or peat spots or wet holes if the depth gets uneven cause the packer wheel drives down in the softer spots? does this happen or is it not a worry?

 

[giver hard]

also what kind of openers do you guys find work best on these units? the one I'm looking at it looks like the farmer modified the fert shank to hold a bourgault opener and a 1 inch flat nose tip and the seed opener looks like a 3 in spread type opener

 

[budfarmer]

They are kind of a strange unit, they are designed to put seed 2" below the ground but only with 3/4" of dirt over the seed. I've tried a just leaving it be in the soft or muddy spot and it seems to come up fine if you don't get a lot of rain after since it does leave deep trenches. I have also tried lifting it in large areas of peat and it also works. Moving the drill up or down mostly just moves the fertilizer knife and has little affect on seed placement. I usually lift it to improve field finish where it is real soft.

 

[giver hard]

can you adjust the packing pressure from in the cab? would that help for going through soft spots?

 

[budfarmer]

Packing is set independent of the fertilizer knife. You could leave that circuit open an change it from the cab, I haven't tried that one yet I had consider it but I think it would be to big of a pain and great chance of messing up seeding depth.

 

[giver hard]

ok thanks for your input bud farmer.

 

[Andrew_D]

You mention lots of spring moisture. Do you have clay soils? The reason that I ask is that the 1870's open a deep trench to place the fert, then they rely an somewhat crumbly soil to cover the fert. Then the seed shank firms that soil up and places the seed. I have heard of situations where the soil doesn't close properly between the 2 shanks and the seed ends up down with the fertilizer.

Also, as mentioned, they can be adjusted to seed 2" down to moisture with only 3/4" or so of soil over the seed. The problem is that if you get a big rain event post-seeding but pre-emerge, suddenly your seeds might be 2-3" deep. Cereals *might* be OK, but canola not so much!

Andrew

 

[giver hard]

thanks for replying andrew d I do have a large mix of soils I have some loam soils and some lighter sandy soils and peaty soils and than i do have a decent sized chunk of land that is clay soils that can be tricky to seed cause if its to dry it gets hard and lumpy and than the trench doesn't wanna always close back in that nice if you use a wide opener and if its to wet it gets really slimy and sticky and can compact really bad. those situations that you heard of where the seed falls into the fert trench do you know what kind of opener that was with? I'm wondering if thats with the twin row opener? I'm thinking of going with the single point opener if i get the drill. unless others think thats not the right way to go? do you need to seed down 2" with this units? or is that just to hit moisture? usually in my soils there is moisture within 3/4 of an inch to an inch.

 

[Andrew_D]

thanks for replying andrew d I do have a large mix of soils I have some loam soils and some lighter sandy soils and peaty soils and than i do have a decent sized chunk of land that is clay soils that can be tricky to seed cause if its to dry it gets hard and lumpy and than the trench doesn't wanna always close back in that nice if you use a wide opener and if its to wet it gets really slimy and sticky and can compact really bad. those situations that you heard of where the seed falls into the fert trench do you know what kind of opener that was with? I'm wondering if thats with the twin row opener? I'm thinking of going with the single point opener if i get the drill. unless others think thats not the right way to go? do you need to seed down 2" with this units? or is that just to hit moisture? usually in my soils there is moisture within 3/4 of an inch to an inch.

I don't have (and haven't used) an 1870 (or conservapak prior to JD buying them). That is only what I've heard/read/etc...

Only a couple of 1870's around here and they are to the S and SW of me where it gets into lighter, sandier land.

Andrew

 

[ilbar]

If you swath any cereals you are better off with the twin row opener than the single row. I have single row and considering going to paired row for that reason.

 

[farmerclint]

Seeded canola into some very nasty wet conditions last spring and canola depth was not affected. The seed is placed into the side wall of the fertilizer trench so if you do get a heavy rain after seeding and soil is washed into the trench, it falls below the seed, so depth is not affected.

 

[giver hard]

thanks guys for the great replies. Are they a fairly trouble free unit? and are they easy to set up or does it take quite a bit of fine tuning and getting used to?

 

[hillcrest]

I bought a new MY15 conservapak last week, will arrive february. I've heard excellent things about them. Im going from a spring tyne John Deere 737 which I kept for too long lol. Was alot more expensive than I thought it was going to be, but I think ive made the right decision in the long run. Hard pan is about 2" down, and I plan to fracture with the conservapak 4 inch down with the fert.

 

[stockton]

If you swath any cereals you are better off with the twin row opener than the single row. I have single row and considering going to paired row for that reason.

We ran the paired row for 2 seasons for the same reason. However, these openers scatter seed everywhere. Switched to the knife for 1 season and it just does a much better job with seed placement and that takes precedent in my mind.

We swath at a 10 degree angle and I don't think there is much difference between the narrow or wide openers in how the swath sits. Also I seed between the rows with RTK which helps.

If you are set on switching though, I have 58 good ones somewhere in the shed.
Cheap.

 

[stockton]

I bought a new MY15 conservapak last week, will arrive february. I've heard excellent things about them. Im going from a spring tyne John Deere 737 which I kept for too long lol. Was alot more expensive than I thought it was going to be, but I think ive made the right decision in the long run. Hard pan is about 2" down, and I plan to fracture with the conservapak 4 inch down with the fert.

Even though your soils are completely different from mine, based on my experience, it should work well. The first year the drill may bring up lots of hard lumps though and in some fields will pull VERY hard. Especially on headlands.
But it was better in subsequent years (here anyway).