# Suggestions on drill selection.



## tdjjjs (Nov 16, 2009)

I wanted to here some opinions on which brand and type of drills you guys like and for what application you are using them. I've a new'b to haymaking really (only done 10-15 acres of small squares or 40 acres of large squares; both for only a few years). On our smaller plots, we have just used an endgate seeder and then followed it up with a cultimulcher to pack it in. Easy on small amount of acres. The 40 acre plot was already seeded to a mix b'f I started farming the ground. Want to seed down up to 35-40 of alfalfa this next fall after the beans come out. I also want the ability to seed down a nurse crop like oats or plant wheat/rye to make silage, as well as plant soybeans when it is time to rotate to another crop.

I've looked at the great plains no-til "solid stand" units which seem to be foot the bill. I've also looked at the JD 1590's with small seed attachments that are stated to be no-till units. What I don't understand about them is that they do not have coulters in front of each row unit. This may sound stupid, but what makes a drill "no-till" if it doesn't have coulters out front? Anyway, I suspect I will only be planting in bean and/or wheat stubble. If I ever do plant corn again, I imagine I would work the ground with something like a turbo-til before planting the alfalfa. Any suggestions or comments welcomed.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

I have a JD 750 no till drill,an earlier version of the JD 1590.The single disk openers have hyd down pressure and will cut threw any trash.For seeding alfalfa I plant in a conventialy tilled field dribleing the alfalfa seed in front of openers and draging in with tine mulcher on drill.Then follow up with roller.

You can put seed tubes from small seed box directly in seed boot also for no tilling.

Seems like a mighty expensive drill for 40 acres?I think I'd rent one or hire 40 acres done.FSA has rental drill here.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

most drills that still use a double disc opener will have a coulter cart running in front of the drill. The drill then mounts behind the cart using standard three point attachments. We had a 20' great plains like that and my cousin has a international drill with a yetter coulter cart. John Deere and several other brands use a single disc opener and dont need a no till blade running ahead of the opener. Our Hiniker also uses a single disc opener. The advantage to this is a lot less bearings to wear out and two less discs or coulters per row to wear out and have to replace.

Personally for planting hay i much prefer working teh ground then planting. Ive no-tilled hay before with good success, we are even a 100% no till now on our row crops, but for hay i still prefer to work it, pick all the rocks, then work it again, pick any more rocks then cultimulch it down to get the field as close to being like a lawn as possibe.

For what youre planting I'd check around and see if you could rent a drill or rent a brilion seeder.


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## haybaler101 (Nov 30, 2008)

I agree with mlappin, I prefer clean seedbed, worked down like a lettuce bed to plant alfalfa in. If I could wish for drills to plant with, a brillion seeder to plant alfalfa and grasses and Kinze 15" row planter for beans. Two best setups for their applications.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Actually for planting beans id like to go with a john deere air drill on fifteen inch rows then drop the other gang to plant cover crops or wheat on 7.5 inch rows, but two big drawbacks to the john deere drill is first the cost. secondly is in muddy conditions you have to drag it thru where with my 30 foot 3 point hiniker i can lift it slightly to get thru wet spots.


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## tdjjjs (Nov 16, 2009)

True, renting may be better for 40 acres, but I have another 80 acres coming out of crp in the future and I want to rotate wheat/beans/alfalfa. In addition, when renting, you always end up being last and then have to rush to get everything done. Finally, I am basically getting out of row crop farming (was farming 400+ acres) so want to trade of the planter (White 8302 = 12x30" rows and/or 13x15" "black" machine). No need to have large planter at this point. I work a midnights x3 nights a week, so would like to have good equipment available when it is go time. Will be slowly transitioning into more of the small farm niche production operation (small squares) as we have quite a few smaller cow and goat dairies around.

Thanks for clarifying the JD "no-till" question. I get it now. For those who suggested the brillion seeders, am I to assume they are for worked ground AND grass/alfalfa only or can you plant soybeans and wheat with them as well?


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## tdjjjs (Nov 16, 2009)

I also have some pretty extreme hillsides that I'd rather not work the ground if possible. That is my only reason for no-til. I do agree that worked ground is best. In that what little seeding I have done, it was all worked ground that we ran over multiple times and finished off with a cultimulcher.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

tdjjjs said:


> True, renting may be better for 40 acres, but I have another 80 acres coming out of crp in the future and I want to rotate wheat/beans/alfalfa. In addition, when renting, you always end up being last and then have to rush to get everything done. Finally, I am basically getting out of row crop farming (was farming 400+ acres) so want to trade of the planter (White 8302 = 12x30" rows and/or 13x15" "black" machine). No need to have large planter at this point. I work a midnights x3 nights a week, so would like to have good equipment available when it is go time. Will be slowly transitioning into more of the small farm niche production operation (small squares) as we have quite a few smaller cow and goat dairies around.
> 
> Thanks for clarifying the JD "no-till" question. I get it now. For those who suggested the brillion seeders, am I to assume they are for worked ground AND grass/alfalfa only or can you plant soybeans and wheat with them as well?


I have the White/black machine planter also.Thinking of trading for front fold.

Yea the brillion seeder is just for worked ground.Its basicaly 2 rows of rollers that make small grooves about 1/2 inch deep then seed drop into them and the seccond roller pushes them back shut.


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## Chucktown (Jan 20, 2009)

I bought a brillion seeder a couple of years ago and must agree that it works great for alfalfa and orchard grass seedings. I usually seed the lenth of the field and then make a second pass diagonally to make sure I have no missed areas. My model has two seed boxes so that you can seed both at the same time. The hay fields will be very smooth. I used it last summer to seed native prairie grass (switch grass). For best results the ground needs to be worked pretty well before seeding. It's capable of seeding most any small seeds, I think it will even seed oats but I not sure. 
I am also in the market for a small (7 -10') no till drill to seed patches that have died out or have a poor stand.
Chucktown


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## steve IN (Jan 13, 2010)

I am 100% notill on my row crops but prefer to work hay ground to make smooth. I use nothing but a Brillion seeder. The trick is to get the field level and then cultimulch slowly so as not to bounce. I then seed fairly slow for same reason. I have no tilled grass into oloder hay fields we rotated out. I hate to say this because I am by no means at all afan of anything Deere butthe 750 with a seeder does a reasonable job for being the wrong color. No matter which drill you use it should have a seeder attachment. Do not listen to the owners manual and use the big box. If you are going to spend over $100 an acre for seed you want to make sure yo0u do it right. Good luck.


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## Waterway64 (Dec 2, 2011)

I am wintering my cows on my corn fields. Can a person still notill corn or beans in in the spring? The idea sort of scares me if I don't chisel first.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Waterway64 said:


> I am wintering my cows on my corn fields. Can a person still notill corn or beans in in the spring? The idea sort of scares me if I don't chisel first.


_Here_ I'd say that's a huge NO. Ground is rough and the cows create an unbelievable amount of compaction. We run our beef cows on roughly small fields that total 32 acres. Hardest 32 acres I've ever chiseled in my life. We also feed rounds bales where they over winter and something has to be done to break up any hay wasted and trampled into the mud.


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