Farmers cannot prosper without new ideas

Protecting tractor glass from breaking

Have you noticed how big tractor cab windows have become? Not only are they an easy target for the wayward stone thrown up by the hedge trimmer, mower, tedder and other implements, they are expensive to repair. And when they shatter, the bang is quite frightening. 

The new issue of Practical Farm Ideas shows how an inventive farmer has made clear plastic protectors - you can see through them but stones bounce off. They work so well he's making them for other farmers. 

Cultivator modification has "transformed" the way it works

Arable farmers with the popular Kverneland CLC heavy cultivator or similar will be interested to see the benefits of replacing the depth wheels with a Simba type rear packer roller. The cultivator depth is better controlled, and the ground is compressed, holding in moisture.

Farm tax planning tips can save £thousands

Farming has returned to profit in some sections, yet many businesses do little if any tax planning. The Financial focus provides plenty to discuss with your accountant. Should the farm business be a Ltd? Should a new vehicle be bought by the company? Should my 25 y-old son be made a partner? 

Sealed bearing 

When a sealed bearing starts to grumble, there are many who think about puncturing the rubber seal and squirting in some grease. Here's a guy who has been doing this on his MF 520 disc harrow for years, and a twice a year greasing keeps them running silently.

Quick turn-around for seed drill

Filling the seed drill or ferti spreader in the field needs a loader or telehandler, plus the tractor and a trailer to carry the bags. That's a lot of machinery, some which might be used for other jobs. For the last 20 years our contributor tows a trailer with the seed or fertiliser tipped in loose and an auger driven from the tractor hydraulics, and fills the drill in minutes, with the amount he needs for the job. 

'Helping farmers cut costs' has been the long term slogan for Practical Farm Ideas, and the new issue shows some 50 ways this can be achieved. The quarterly magazine has an annual subscription of £15.40 from www.farmideas.co.uk 

Further information from Mike Donovan, editor  editor@farmideas.co.uk    T: 01994 240978