Taking these steps now can help protect a farmer’s investment, an industry rep said
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
If they haven’t already, producers will soon be placing air seeders into winter storage.
With equipment storage at top of mind, Farms.com connected with an industry rep for some helpful tips on storing air seeders during the winter months.
The first task a farmer should tackle after he or she is finished with the seeder is to clean it out thoroughly, said Trent Nowosad, marketing manager for seeding equipment at Case IH.
“Make sure the product tank is clean,” he told Farms.com. “You’d want to take your meters out, clean them well, lube any connections or bearings on those meters and put them back in the drill or air cart.”
If a producer doesn’t place the meters back after cleaning, they could discover some uninvited guests in the equipment.
“Those spaces can make nice homes for small rodents and birds,” Nowosad said. “The last thing you want is to realize your equipment is damaged because animals got into it.”
After a proper cleaning, growers may want to complete a general visual inspection of any wear components.
Knowing what needs to be replaced now and ordering the parts in a timely manner can help prevent downtime in the future, Nowosad added.
Another important storage tip is to ensure all the necessary connection components receive a good cleaning and greasing.
This step helps farmers save time next spring, Nowosad said.
“It just helps make sure that when farmers take the equipment out, they don’t have to unfreeze something or unstick something,” he said. “We know farmers want to avoid downtime, so this is just one extra thing they can do to make sure they’re spending more time in the field.”
When placing the equipment into storage, farmers may want to try storing it flat, not folded up.
If the equipment is folded, moisture can collect in some areas which can create issues later.
“You don’t want to get moisture on packer wheels or gauging wheels,” Nowosad said. “With the moisture sitting there freezing and thawing over the winter, you just don’t want to take any chances. Let’s remember, these pieces of equipment are big investments you’ve made, and keeping them running properly as long as possible helps you get the best return on that investment.”