When deciding to cultivate the land in a no-plough system, farmers are often faced with the need to make changes to their machinery. We asked prof. Tomasz Piskier from the Koszalin University of Technology, what should be taken into account when purchasing tools for plowless cultivation.
There is no universal machine
With the spread of no-till farming in Poland, there are more and more manufacturers and models of tillage tools and various concepts of what to use and how to cultivate the land. It’s easy to get lost in the thicket of technology and machine offers. The question then arises: how to assess your needs in terms of modernization of machinery and what to consider when selecting tools?
According to prof. Tomasz Piskier from the Koszalin University of Technology, a universal machine for no-plow cultivation does not exist, because this cultivation system requires a comprehensive approach, which is based on adapting the machine to various tasks and various conditions.
– You need to pay attention to the working elements of the machine and their durability; how it works and affects the soil; whether it only loosens or loosens and mixes; whether he works deep or shallow; Will it be able to cause plow sole formation? The plow sole is not created only by the work of the plow, but by the work of the plowshare. If we have cultivators with a large goosefoot, the goosefoot wing serves as a plowshare and then a plow sole will also be created – said Prof. in an interview with the farmer.pl portal. Tomasz Piskier.
Our interlocutor advises that when purchasing a tillage machine, you should also take into account the possibilities and availability of easy servicing.
Purchasing a no-tillage machine only for large farms?
According to prof. Tomasz Piskier, farmers in Poland are accustomed to the pattern in which each farm owner expands his machinery and buys additional pieces of equipment. However, our interlocutor claims that the purchase of machines is economically justified in large farms, while in semi-subsistence farms the introduction of no-plough cultivation should be based on the use of services, because building a machinery park in such a case is unprofitable.
– We want to have a machine, but this is not necessary. We should move and rent. No-plough cultivation is dedicated to large farms or those that decide to use external services – commented Prof. Piskier.
Our interlocutor added that in Poland we are faced with the need to build larger, commercial farms.
– Our farmers are used to having to work. I believe that you need to earn money, not work, and these are two completely different things. If we have a farm of several or a dozen hectares, then the farmer should be the owner of the land – if he wants to – but the land should be managed by someone else, with professional machines and modern technologies – said Prof. Tomasz Piskier.
The entire conversation with prof. You can watch Tomasz Piskier below:
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