Middlesex County, Ontario | Look at the price of a used 12 row planter, and the same planter but 7-10 years older. Almost no difference in price. You can own a 12 row planter for the cost of fuel, tractor depreciation, and maintenance. You won't lose much, if any, dollars on planter depreciation. You can cover 10 ac/hr with a 12 row if you are somewhat efficient during fill ups and your fields aren't little triangles. If you have "10 minute ground" its something to look into.
Combines.... if you have the acres to justify a 6 row combine that breaks down sometimes and you can start right away, but your custom guy who can't start right away has a 12 row machine or 2...... Its not when you start, its when you finish.
You can run a large PT sprayer for ~$4-5/ac. Spraying is arguably more time sensitive than planting, and definitely more time sensitive than combining. That's enough savings to pay for a nice pull type sprayer. Nice pull type sprayer, or old 1480 with a 6 row head in a wet fall. Which will be less of a headache?
Edited by WildBuckwheat 12/8/2014 12:12
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