Jim,
Part of the reason we are having to run the Super Coulter is to cut up the corn stalks/residue. The cornstalks in the bean residue are 2 years old and they are still TOUGH. I can see now why "AS" runs his Super Coulter over everything in the fall. We are having issues with the the planter plugging with residue and pushing if we don't run the super coulter over some of the fields. The fields that haven't had corn on them for several years aren't a problem. We never had problems like this with our other planter...........but we also never had any super wet springs when we had it either. The residue is in such a mat, it is peeling off of the ground like paper w/ the trashwhippers. It just hangs up between the units and starts pushing. In the second field I was in today, it was such a problem slowing down to less than 4mph still pushed some. That particular field was probably the most fit for planting I have been in yet.

I measured the toolbar today in a good no-till field, and it measured 23.5-24" all the way across. The wings WERE NOT up any compared to the main frame. Here is a photo of the field in particular. I had to run just a hair over 300lbs to maintain seed depth.

As you can see by this photo, the units are running pretty deep. This is placing the seed about 2" deep.

 

I can see 30" rows again in our future. We're just not convinced for sure whether we want to switch back, because if we don't go strip till, we don't see it as being worth the switch. As you and I discussed, our reason for switching to strip till would be more or less for fertility reasons.......and saving fertilizer. BUT, we want to see some data...........some actual physical data before we do anything. Data spanning at least two years showing that cut rates can be run with strip till and achieve the same or better yields as our no-till methods, all the while not depleting the ground. We also somewhat like the idea of deep banding (sub 8-10") the fertilizer in the fall. I know that goes against your principles Jim, but we still would like to see some data. Marc is giving me some info and I plan on going down to their field day this fall. We'd like to talk to some more guys on this locally, and probably a couple of your customers. Did any of the guys switch from a mole knife to your units? I thought I remembered you saying one of the guys from Hazel did. We'll get a hold of you sometime this summer and then we'll maybe make contact with "TW" and the other two(Yeah I already forgot their names, I'm horrible about that).

Thanks,
Chad