Learning to operate a grain drill, at night, in wet ground, right before a storm...

[dixiedrifter]

I was busting my tail trying to get some wheat planted before it put into raining last night.

There was just enough light to get it around the field about 3 rounds before it got dark enough to require lights. Then about an hour later, it started lighting off in the distance, but I kept on chugging.

The ground was pretty wet too, and I was afraid if I didn't get done then it would be god knows how long before the ground would dry out enough to get back over it since a couple weeks ago we got 10"+ inches of rain over a period of 5 days.

I managed to get halfway done before I ran out of diesel right there in the far end of the field right before the weather started to get rough enough that I was going to head in because the lighting was getting too close for comfort.

I made a mad dash for the house and made it back OK, and it turns out we only got maybe a 10th of an inch of rain, if that, while about 10 miles down the road it came a torrential downpour.

Went out today and looked over the field and finished up planting. Didn't have any trouble getting the tractor to crank since I cut it off as soon as it started to die. All things considered I think I did a pretty good job, and I passed grain drill school.

Tractor did great, 4WD Kubota M9000, was running in 4th low and was hardly straining with the 8000lbs it was pulling @ 500lbs down pressure. On the road it easily handles the weight in 8th gear @20MPH.

It will be interesting to see how well the wheat comes up.

 

[MrJimi]

Re: Learning to operate a grain drill, at night, in wet ground, right before a storm...

Pictures would make my day, how about the rest of you ? I understand, you didn't have time
Good luck
Jim

 

[flusher]

Re: Learning to operate a grain drill, at night, in wet ground, right before a storm...

I was busting my tail trying to get some wheat planted before it put into raining last night.

There was just enough light to get it around the field about 3 rounds before it got dark enough to require lights. Then about an hour later, it started lighting off in the distance, but I kept on chugging.

The ground was pretty wet too, and I was afraid if I didn't get done then it would be god knows how long before the ground would dry out enough to get back over it since a couple weeks ago we got 10"+ inches of rain over a period of 5 days.

I managed to get halfway done before I ran out of diesel right there in the far end of the field right before the weather started to get rough enough that I was going to head in because the lighting was getting too close for comfort.

I made a mad dash for the house and made it back OK, and it turns out we only got maybe a 10th of an inch of rain, if that, while about 10 miles down the road it came a torrential downpour.

Went out today and looked over the field and finished up planting. Didn't have any trouble getting the tractor to crank since I cut it off as soon as it started to die. All things considered I think I did a pretty good job, and I passed grain drill school.

Tractor did great, 4WD Kubota M9000, was running in 4th low and was hardly straining with the 8000lbs it was pulling @ 500lbs down pressure. On the road it easily handles the weight in 8th gear @20MPH.

It will be interesting to see how well the wheat comes up.

Tell me more about your grain drill. Make? Model? Bin capacity? At 8000 lb that device must be really big. What's the down pressure doing?