What is going to be the next "Big Thing"

[sweettractors]

From my memories, in the early fifties farmers went from horses and mules to tractors. In the fifties only about 3-4 farmers had a brush Hog in my county, now every farm does. In the fifties, we dug all our post holes with hand diggers, now we all have PTO diggers. We went from pitman mowers to beltdrive mowers in the sixties and seventies. Then we went from beltdrive sickle mowers to disc mowers in the eighties and now every farmer that does much hay has one. From Disc mowers to Discbines is the trend currently. Hay tedders were not even considered a needed implement until about 15 years ago and now every hay farmer has one.
In your opinion, what do you see as the "next big thing" in the implement area in the following years? Ken Sweet

 

[Duffster]

From my memories, in the early fifties farmers went from horses and mules to tractors. In the fifties only about 3-4 farmers had a brush Hog in my county, now every farm does. In the fifties, we dug all our post holes with hand diggers, now we all have PTO diggers. We went from pitman mowers to beltdrive mowers in the sixties and seventies. Then we went from beltdrive sickle mowers to disc mowers in the eighties and now every farmer that does much hay has one. From Disc mowers to Discbines is the trend currently. Hay tedders were not even considered a needed implement until about 15 years ago and now every hay farmer has one. In your opinion, what do you see as the "next big thing" in the implement area in the following years? Ken Sweet

Not every one, nobody uses them here.

I got to ask, what is a pitman mower?

 

[sweettractors]

Not every one, nobody uses them here.

I got to ask, what is a pitman mower?

The pitman mower is the ones with the wooden drive stick that attaches to the sickle head. Ford 501, Massey #32, John Deere #9 and 39 are common examples. They have limited movement in the cutterbar angles they can mow. About 35 degrees above and below horizontal. Ken Sweet

 

[sweettractors]

Not every one, nobody uses them here.

I got to ask, what is a pitman mower?

They say a pictures is worth a thousand words. Here are examples of both. The one on the left is a pitman style Ford 501 and the crankshaft is on the left with power transferred through the wooden pitman to the sickle head. (limited up and down blade movement) The picture on the right is a typical belt drive setup where the crankshaft is on the right at the beginning of the sickle cutter head. Ken Sweet

 

[sweettractors]

Goats, because the EPA is going to outlaw lawn mowers and tractors! :laughing:

Naw, too late for Goats, They are all ready here in Ky in great numbers. Ken Sweet

 

[texasjohn]

Hydraulic top and tilt paired with a Pat's style hook for 3PH arms integrated into the arms, all hydraulics integrated into tractor so you are not using those precious/expensive rear ports.

 

[gregsons]

If i knew what the next big thing was i wouldnt be on here talking about it i would be in my shop working on it and wondering how i would spend all that $$$

 

[Verticaltrx]

Hydraulic top and tilt paired with a Pat's style hook for 3PH arms integrated into the arms, all hydraulics integrated into tractor so you are not using those precious/expensive rear ports.

The Pats easy change system is nothing new, it's really a cheaper version of a quick hitch (aka I-match). John Deere was one of the first to start using that type of attachment in the '60s on larger row crop tractors (Cat II and Cat III.) Even the top link itself could be had with that kind of quick connect if you wanted. It was fairly popular on the later 20 series and 30 series, not sure if you can still get a quick connect top link these days though.

Also top and tilt has been around for nearly as long. A large majority of industrial tractors have top and tilt dating back to the '70s.

A lot of the things that are new to the compact tractor world have actually been around for decades in the agricultural and industrial tractor world.

 

[texasjohn]

Exactly so, Verticaltrx. My first tractor was an early 50ish Case which had a claw attachment on the 3ph swing arms. I loved that feature although much else of the tractor was less fun.

I was implying that these features would become standard, or at least manufacturers options rather than add on's as they now are.:licking:

 

[charlz]

As times get hard and people move back to growing their own food, if the local food movement catches on etc etc. Maybe a move back to 'small' implements. One or two row corn pickers, one row potato pickers etc. Stuff that a 0-20 acre farm might use. Have to be pretty cheap though I would think.

 

[/pine]

I'm guessing automated harvesting (non-operator required) for the big boys...computer programs, GPS and robots....just look what they do by remote control both in deep water drilling (and mining) and with war efforts...

Don't really see much new coming for the little guys except maybe additional technology to assist the operators...

 

[McGeesEquip]

The agricultural industry is getting more hi-tech. Look what has all changed just in the chicken house industry. Those farmers are always having to face new changes and new regulations.

Crop growers are getting even more hi-tech tractors. Dirt workers are getting real hi-tech dirt movers and levers.

The hay industry is getting vary competitive, so I will say there will probably be a hay cutter, baler, and wrapper all in one machine.

 

[Baby Grand]

As times get hard and people move back to growing their own food, if the local food movement catches on etc etc. Maybe a move back to 'small' implements. One or two row corn pickers, one row potato pickers etc. Stuff that a 0-20 acre farm might use. Have to be pretty cheap though I would think.

That's an idea I like. I watched a team of horses pull a single row potato picker up at the Ag fair in Unity, Maine a few weeks ago.

 

[magicheater]

The needs of people has always fueled technology. Technology has advanced with better solutions to the same needs. It has also offered ways that are easier but may not be better in the long run. It caters to the laziness of people if we let it. The book "Borrowing Brilliance" touches on this it states that there are no real new ideas but merely improvements to old ideas.

Maybe the next big thing is a tractor that you don't have to improve after you get it home!

 

[Qapla]

The next new thing may not be something attached to the tractor at all. It may just be substantial improvements on existing equipment.

For example:

Rear or total tracks for tractors that give as good performance for plowing, disking, etc and wheels do.

Tractor engines that run on bio-fuel without needing extra service or increased cost for the machine or the fuel.

Greater HP with better fuel efficiency.

 

[buck12]

The way our country is moving the next "big thing" may be a hoe, shovel, and push rotary mower because we won't be able to buy diesel.

 

[sweettractors]

The way our country is moving the next "big thing" may be a hoe, shovel, and push rotary mower because we won't be able to buy diesel.

We would all probably be better off by getting back to the basics. I don't know about the hoe, shovel thing for me? Maybe a tract of land, tractor and enough tools to raise what we need with fewer trips to the grocery. Ken Sweet

 

[CompactTractorFan]

The Jake Rake!!!

 

[doall]

If they make the mower, rake, baler, thing it will also have to have some super drier in it or we will need to put sprinklers in our hay barns.

 

[Ford tractor]

Probably not for the small operator, but I can imagine interactive satellite data on crop moisture, growth, fertility, being sent for better crop management, higher yield with lower resource use.

The big tractors already have auto-steer and GPS guidance.

I could see where going the diesel-electric route may be coming. Some dozers are getting that now. Supposed to increase performance and reduce fuel use.