After snow… ​The​ T​UME JC Star XL 3000 seed drill

Our great friend Timo from Laihia (Finland) finished sowing this year on 1st May (he has malt barley and oats). Normally, he can start the sowing at the beginning of May. Barley is sensitive to frost in May, so it is risky to sow it early. This spring is been very dry and dusty and fields are becoming too dry. In many years it is more common having problems with rain than with dryness.

His new seed drill is Finnish-made Tume JC Star XL 3​​000. Basically, it is very similar to the old machine that worked fine for 17 years. It has tanks for seed, fertilizer that is put 2-3 cm under seed and a small tank for fertilizer that is put in the same level as seed. The total tank volume of 3​,​700 liters is adjustable for seed and fertilizer. The machine is designed for seeding ploughed or at least lightly harrowed field. Since, the summer is very short (time for the crop to grow is 3-4 months) it is the best method to put fertilizer under the level of seed. Small amount of fertilizer that is put in the same level with seed is for the beginning of growth and it is not compulsory. Many farmers don’t use it at all.

Amount of barley used is about 240 kg/ha that will give 500-550 plants per m2. Main fertilizer is Yara (23% N, 3% P, 6% K, 1% Mg, 6% S, 0.05% B, 0.3% Mn, 0.05% Zn and 0.0015% Se) that is used about 480 kg/ha. At the same level of seed is used 25 kg/ha of fertilizer with 12% N and 23% P.

For sowing, he mainly used MF 6130 2WD that has a very tight turning radius. It has enough power to drag the machine, but despite of 300 kg front weights the front is a bit light. MF 6470 works also fine with larger fields, but needs more space to turn.

Width of the seed drill is 3 m. So tramlining for spraying lines for a 15 m sprayer is made every 5 width. Tramlining and control of track markers are very easy with the control panel. Spacing of seeding discs is 12​.​5 cm and fertilizing disks 25 cm.

Thank you very much for your pictures and comments!!

Versión en español.

Joaquín Herminio Tribaldos (Twins' Farm)

Malt barley in Finland: sowing tasks

In this occasion, our friend Timo, from Laihia (Finland), sent us a few pictures and comments about his sowing tasks. Talking about sowing, it will be very strange for our Spanish followers because we are harvesting now, but in the north of Europe, cereal sowing is done in May or June... we are sure it will be very interesting for all of Spaniards since they can see as other farmers carry out similar sowing tasks in another country so different than ours.

According to his indications, fields are ploughed in autumn and he can't do anything until the following spring, when he harrows them with minichissel plough and sows these grounds again. Sowing tasks are very complicated because it rains very frequently and they can be lengthen. It is very important for him to sowing in time because summer is short and he needs to harvest in September (so he requires to have appropriate machinery which allows him to work quickly). After that, cold, snow and rain won't allow him to work to next spring... even soil will be frozen during main winter months.

The seed drill used is a Tume JC3000. It is a mix, so he uses about 230kg/ha of barley and about 480kg/ha of Yara fertilizer (23% N, 3% P, 6% K, 1% Mg, 6% S, 0.05% B, 0.3% Mn, 0.05% Zn and 0.0015% Se). It is put 2cm under the seed. At the same level of seed he uses 25 kg/ha of fertilizer with 12% N and 23% P.

The plough used in autumn is a Kverneland ES-80 of four rows (but we are going to speak about that in September) and the minichissel plough used are Väderstad NZE500 (we love them). The working speed with this minichissel is about 10km/h and sowing speed is 8.5km/h.

Timo, Good luck with your crop!!!

Versión en español.

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Joaquín y Herminio Tribaldos (Twins' Farm)