Sunflowers preparation

In our area, harrowing and sowing tasks for sunflowers are beginning. As we spoke before about sowing sunflowers, Cuenca is the area where there is the largest field with this crop. We always sowed it to rotate our fields but this year we decided not to sow it. Its price is low (about 324€/t), besides summer is very dry and​ fields are stressed after harvesting​ tasks​. We think we will sow sunflowers again when they have a right price (for example, 450€/t). Another option, in our area, is sowing high oleic sunflower. The price of seeds are more expensive but it has a good price when you sell your crop (about 412€/t).

As you can see in our pictures or video, Enrique is ploughing his old barley stubble. If he wants to have a really good seedbed, he will need to harrow it using cultichissel a few days before sowing works. He is using a mini shallow plough what allows him to work without problems at a depth of 20cm besides it turns over the stubble. ​Also we use this tool but in other occasions we used discs plough because it works better when soil is wet.

Some of our followers are surprised (e.g., Diego, Dani and Pedro) when they see our ploughing works to sow sunflowers. They carry out direct sowing or minimum tillage so they think we do too much work.  

What do you think about that? How do you prepare fields to sow sunflowers in other Spanish areas or in other countries?

Versión en español.

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​New Holland T6.165. Blue blood from Basildon

In this month, we have spoken about different crops such as vineyar, cereal and sugar beet; in order to speak about several works like pruning, spraying and sowing which are carried out in these crops during this season. In this post, we change the subject, ​​thus we are going to speak about a new tractor what was bought in a farm where our cousin Henry is working: The New Holland T6.165.

This farm is one of the most important in our village because it has the largest machega sheep herd in our area (we will show pictures about that in a future post) and also it owns a big vineyar together with fields for cereals and pulse vegetales. Henry only works in agricultural tasks, although he helps shepherds when they have to clean stables so in the next days a Tenías B4 frontloader will be fixed on this New Holland T6.165. We are going to publish a post about the manure used by us in our fields, moment in which we will explain these tasks.

The most important highlights of the New Holland T6.165 are:

• FPT engine with 6.7 litres and 6-cyl Tier 4.
• Maximun power: 165 HP.
• Max. torque : 682 Nm at 1,500 r.p.m.
• Diesel tank capacity of 175 litres.
• adBlue tank capacity of 37 litrers.
• Electro Command transmission: 2 speed range transmision synchronized and 8 speed powershift.
• Nº of gears: 16/16.
• Soft powershuttle reversing transmission.
• Mecanical suspension in cab.
• Grammer Maximo Conform seat with pneumatic suspension.
• Max. lift capacity at ball ends of 7,864kg.
• PTO of 540 (at 1,969 r.p.m.), 540E (at 1,546 r.p.m.) and 1,000 (at 1,893 r.p.m.).
• Four pillar 360° Horizon™ cab with FOPS and Optimum Horizon cab noise level of 71dB.
• Standard Main Pump flow of 80 l/min (open center) and 2 hydraulic remote valves.
• Maximun speed at 40km/h.
• Minimum speed at 2.27 km/h.
• Michelin OmniBib tyres: 420/70 R28 and 520/70 R38.

We could test it during a few hours like we did with the New Holland T5​.115​ Electro Command, and we have to tell you this tractor is a really pretty good option to farmers who need to renovate their tractors. Its panoramic cab is made with fantastic materials and it is very comfortable, the turning radius is reduced and its maneuverability using its soft powershuttle reversing is very agile and soft, the engine of 6-cyl works very fine at low revolutions and its consumption is very moderate... definitely, we like it!

You can test it in next edition of Demoagro on 27th, 28th and 29th of May, where New Holland are going to attend with all its tractors and you will be able to solve all your questions. 

Versión en español.