Multiple choice
Aug 28, 2008 12:40 PM, by John Russnogle
Great Plains expands its equipment line with multiple options
Planting options
By the 2009 planting season, Great Plains will add a planter and several new drills to its planting options. The Yield-Pro YP40 is a 40-ft. planter that offers a choice of three openers and seven-row spacings. Growers have a choice of two bulk hopper sizes or they can use seed company bulk boxes and a 1,600-gal. cart or a cart with a 1,600-gal. tank plus a 400-gal. tank for fertilizer.
Other options include unit- or frame-mounted row cleaners, unit-mounted coulters, Keeton seed firmers, Seed-Lok firming wheels, Singulator Plus meters, finger pickup meters and a hydraulic hitch in lieu of a 3-pt. hitch. Retail prices range from $106,734 to $186,618.
The three-section model 3007HD Great Plains air drill plants at 30 ft. but folds to 10 ft. for safe transport. The drill has two 100-bu. bulk hoppers, which can be used for seed or seed and fertilizer. The 07HD series openers feature 15-in.-dia., 4-ml-thick planter-style blades, 18-position T-handle depth adjustment, cast press wheel arms and ClearShot planter seed tubes. A hydraulic down-pressure system works in conjunction with the parallel linkage to maintain opener-to-ground geometry. Retail price for the drill with coulters, press wheels and Keeton seed firmers is $114,420.
The Great Plains DF4010HD no-till drill is built heavy for rugged no-till conditions. A box-beam steel frame provides the weight for penetration through hard ground and residue, and six 18x22.5 tires minimize compaction. The drill uses 10HD openers that have 15-in., 4-ml offset opener blades, a cast blade separator and ClearShot seed tubes.
The drill’s 3.2-bu./ft. seed box comes standard with a 60% seed/40% dry fertilizer split but also can be ordered in 68/32, 55/45 and 100% seed configurations. Other options include 7 ½- or 10-in. row spacings; fluted, wavy or Turbo counters; and center-rib, double-V or wedge-style press wheels. Retail price for the drill starts at $133,307 for a unit with 7 ½-in. row spacing, 3x13 press wheels, dry fertilizer configuration and no coulters.
For growers who want a 3-pt.-mounted, no-till drill, Great Plains now offers the 3P806NT and 3P1006NT. The drills feature 06 series openers and 5/16-in. fluted or 5/8-in. Turbo coulters. Multiple box combinations start with a 2-bu/ft. main seed box. A dry fertilizer box, a warm season native grass box and a box for small seeds are also available. Retail prices range from $16,398 to $17,468 for the 3P806NT and $19,590 to $20,823 for the 3P1006.
A pull-type, 10-ft. no-till drill also will be available next spring. The 1007NT has a three-wheel design that allows it to plant and transport in a 10-ft. width. The drill has a floating tongue that pivots vertically to flex up and over terraces. Seed box options are similar to those for the Great Plains's 3-pt.-mounted drills. Retail prices range from $30,395 to $34,868.
The model 800 min-till drill is for growers who want big drill features in a small machine. It uses the same openers as the company's bigger min-till drills, a fluted metering system, four-speed gearbox with lock-out hubs, T-handle seed depth adjustment on the openers, adjustable gate openings and four press wheel options. Retail prices range from $12,356 to $15,049.
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