Vermeer Making Hay Volume1 Summer 2013

1Summer 2013 - Makin’ Hay I

SUMMER 2013

Harvesting for Biomass Below

the Border

The Cornstalk Specialist

ALL IN A DAY’S WORK

GOT A COVER CROP PLAN?

Ending the Moisture Guessing Game

2 I Makin’ Hay - Summer 2013

Welcome to the kickoff issue of Makin’ Hay, a new quarterly publication from Vermeer devoted entirely to the hay and forage industry!

Today, hay is more valuable than ever, and as more hay acres give way to row crop acres, the demand for high-quality hay continues to grow rapidly. Written and produced by industry experts, Makin’ Hay will provide informative content that helps operators like you become more efficient in the field and produce a more consistent and nutritious product.

You can count on issues of Makin’ Hay to provide valuable content including:

• Feature stories exploring a range of important issues facing the industry. • Profile stories showcasing hay producers from throughout North America. • Articles offering advice on harvesting, storage, management practices and more. • Product overviews that help you get the most out of your Vermeer forage equipment.

In addition, you can read about how Vermeer forage products are changing the way operators around the globe harvest hay for feed, bedding and biomass production. Get sneak peeks at new equipment and products being added to the Vermeer complete line of hay tools. And also revisit some important points in Vermeer’s long history as innovators and industry leaders in the world of hay and forage.

Ultimately, Makin’ Hay aims to provide quality content that expands your knowledge of the hay and forage industry and helps you become more productive in the field. On behalf of all of us at Vermeer, I’d like to thank you for taking the time to read the very first issue of Makin’ Hay. We hope you enjoy it!

Joe Michaels Managing Director Forage Solutions Vermeer Corporation

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SUMMER 2013

Ending the Moisture Guessing Game .............pg 3

Got a Cover Crop Plan? ...................................pg 4

The Cornstalk Specialist ..................................pg 6

Harvesting for Biomass Below the Border ......pg 9


Years from now when moisture sensors on balers are as

commonplace as calculators on cell phones, it’s likely that younger generations will chuckle at how growers once checked for moisture in their hay.

They will sit awestruck around the campfire, listening to unbelievable tales of how “old-timers” used to hop out of the cab and check it manually. Their jaws will drop when hearing how they used to physically pick up the hay with their bare hands, grabbing and twisting (some even biting) the hay, doing anything to it that might elicit some clue as to how much moisture was hidden within.

“How bizarre … how ludicrous!”

Such will be the reaction of future generations when they hear of the practices many growers still employ today. To be sure, in these times it isn’t out of the ordinary for haymakers to “use their gut” to determine moisture levels. But the method is losing advocates as more growers realize the consequences of inaccurate moisture estimates.

“Most folks would be surprised to know what their gut tells them is three to five point different than it actually is,” said Phil Chrisman, Vermeer Baler Product Manager.

The tendency, according to Chrisman, is to bale when the hay is too wet, which can lead to mold, heat and nutritional loss due to spoilage. By having a moisture sensor in the baler that reads real-time moisture levels, you can make an informed decision on when to bale.

“If the sensor says it’s at 18 percent moisture, I know that’s too wet to bale. So you ask, ‘Do I have time to stop baling and wait for it to dry? What’s my schedule like? What is the weather like?’ Now you can plan and make decisions from a nutrient value standpoint,” Chrisman said.

Chrisman said even the best operators – or those who can most accurately gage moisture levels on their own – will encounter anomalies in the field that they would never think of. In other words, moisture levels are seldom consistent across entire fields, and only with a moisture sensor can you be certain of changing moisture levels at all times.

Vermeer introduced its first moisture sensor on the Super M Baler in 2008, and currently offers optional moisture sensors on Rebel® Series Balers, N Series Balers, Rancher® Series Balers and Super M Series Balers. Popularity of new Vermeer balers including moisture sensing technology has more than doubled in the past few years.

Ending the Moisture Guessing Game

The tendency, according to Chrisman, is to bale when the hay is too wet, which can lead to mold, heat and nutritional loss due to spoilage.


Years ago, cover crops were mostly considered an

inexpensive and easy way to limit soil erosion and fill in with fall grazing. Of course, that was before drought, ethanol and other renewable energy options.* Not to mention the high cost of corn (with ridiculously high input costs), through-the-roof hay prices and short inventories on all sorts of crops.

Today, farmers and livestock producers are tracking a wider range of factors impacting their bottom line. As a result, they realize alternative forages not only have a great bearing on planting, harvesting, feeding and marketing decisions, but also have a significant impact on the fertility of their soil.

So, what’s happening lately? With short hay supplies driving prices upwards of $200/ton, today’s beef cow producers are utilizing every piece of ground they can to keep their herds fed. When drought decimated corn acres across the Midwest, many producers harvested more cornstalk bales than forage.

As a result, producers like J.B. Atkins (Broken Bow, Neb.) scrambled to (a) graze their cattle through the winter months, (b) preserve their hay inventories,

Got a cover crop plan?


(c) capture the untapped nitrogen left over from their depleted corn crops and (d) minimize input costs this past spring.

“I’d bet our cornstalk bale count was twice as high as previous years. We grazed cows into December by seeding turnips and rye on our pivot-irrigated corn crop,” said Atkins, Vermeer Territory Manager who also runs 40 cow/calf pairs on 800 acres. “We even had neighbors offer to pay us to feed their cows too. After the corn crop died, we captured the excess nitrogen and made it available to our cover crops instead of simply letting it go to waste. Retaining that nitrogen at $50-$60/acre was a huge savings. And we were able to graze in the spring and thereby reduce our feed costs even more. Plus, we improved the health of our soil along the way.”

In the Northeast, small-to mid-sized dairy farmers are studying a more flexible system that allows them to grow their own high-quality dairy forage in corn- and alfalfa-based cropping systems. The system, called Alternative Continuous Cover Forage (ACCF), produces high-quality dairy cattle forage with yields comparable to traditional cropping systems. And it’s all based on a soil health management program using cover crops (versus traditional crop rotations of corn silage for three or

more years without cover crops).**

Look around and you’ll also find a rapidly growing number of farmers who advocate multi-species cover crops, even to the exclusion of commercial fertilizer.

Last spring, more than 270 people jammed into David Brandt’s Ohio farm shop (Fairfield County) to hear national experts preach the

benefits of bio-diversity in the crop rotation through the use of cover crops. Brandt claims he now saves more than $135/acre in input costs alone, which he attributes to 35 years of no-till farming and three decades of cover cropping.

“Basically, we need to keep the soil covered,” says Ohio’s Natural Resources Conservation Service state agronomist Mark Scarpitti. “In the past, we looked at our soil as a chemistry set where we’d take nutrients

out with crop removal and put them back on to build up that fertility. But when you look at your soil through the many varied functionalities of microbial activity that benefit the plant, it puts a whole new dimension on soil fertility.”

It also improves the potential for increasing farm profits and benefitting the environment. “Healthy soils go hand in hand with healthy streams. If

we can build soil organic matter and increase water infiltration, we’ll have less run-off, less nutrient loss and more water holding capacity,” Scarpitti added. “I am very encouraged by the number of farmers who are at these meetings to learn about soil health.”

Researchers in North Carolina** presented some amazing findings when they demonstrated how a new corn crop was able

to simply use the previous crop’s nutrients without any commercial fertilizer applied. This line of thinking is why producers today are less likely to accept degraded soil, choosing instead to strengthen soil biology by (a) using plant diversity to feed the soil and (b) minimizing the use of chemicals by not disturbing the soil.

“There is something fundamentally wrong when you can’t make a living and family income on 500-600 acres,” says NCRS agronomist Ray Archuleta. “Sixty percent of applied fertilizer never reaches the plant. The solution is right there under your feet. It’s the complex interactions between soil microbes and the crop that feeds the plant.”

*America’s renewable energy initiative update: BP Petroleum, in their latest 2013 Energy Outlook, projects the U.S. will someday produce 99% of its own energy. A big part of this effort is to reduce the use of fossil fuels. BP projects a 202% increase in renewable energy by 2030 with both coal and crude oil utilization diminishing.

**Study conducted by Dr. Kloot with Earth Sciences and Resources Institute at the University of Nouth Carolina with the support of the USDA NRCS East National Technology Support Center.

SUMMER 2013

“Healthy soils go hand in hand with healthy streams. If we can build soil organic matter and increase water infiltration, we’ll have less run-off, less nutrient loss and more water holding capacity.”

For more information and research regarding cover crops, visit these websites:

www.oh.nrcs.usda.govwww.plantcovercrops.comwww.soils.usda.gov


Rain makes corn. Vermeer bales cornstalks. Cornstalks

make ethanol, which makes vehicles run and provides a source of clean, renewable fuel.

For over 100 years, ethanol blend fuels have been around and powered gas engines. More recently, though, advances have been made to use non-

grain material to create a clean-burning, high-octane energy source. Leading this progress is POET-DSM Advanced Biofuels. POET-DSM Advanced Biofuels is a cooperative effort between POET Biorefining and Royal DSM. The two companies have begun building Project LIBERTY, a commercial-scale, cellulosic ethanol plant located in Northwest Iowa near Emmetsburg.

Cellulosic ethanol is ethanol made from corn crop residue, including cobs, leaves, husk and some stalk. In Northwest Iowa where corn production is prevalent, there is an abundance of this residue, opening up opportunities for local producers like Kyle Elbert of Emmetsburg.

Located less than 10 miles from POET, Elbert sees cellulosic ethanol’s promising

potential, and he has begun a custom cornstalk baling operation in response to the growing need for corn stover.

What began as a partnership with his father soon turned into a personal business for Elbert. His father saw a custom baling operation as a feasible way to get involved in the farming industry, and so he helped Elbert to get started.

Putting up 10,000 cornstalk bales each year, it takes an extremely durable machine to handle the coarse, dirty and difficult crop.

Cornstalk Specialist


SUMMER 2013

“Right out of high school my dad and I bought a baler half and half,” Elbert explains. “It was a good way for me to get started farming since it’s pretty hard to start off on your own now days. Eventually [my dad] worked his way out of the custom baling side of the business. Now I run the baling side of things while he does row crop farming and feeds cattle. It works out really well that way.”

Putting up 10,000 cornstalk bales each year, Elbert has discovered that it takes an extremely durable machine to handle the coarse, dirty and difficult crop.

While Elbert did not start off with a Vermeer baler, he has since purchased two Vermeer 605 Super M Cornstalk Special Balers. With the help of these machines, he looks forward to beginning the fourth year of his operation.

“Other balers we’ve had weren’t built near as heavy as the Vermeer balers,” Elbert says. “One of the main advantages I see is that the pickup teeth are so much stronger. They don’t break and they last longer. With the type of conditions we’re baling in, that’s really important.”

Elbert says another thing he appreciates about the heavy build of Vermeer equipment is the improved

resistance to dust and dirt that the O-ring chain offers. He says he noticed that the O-ring chains, as well as other heavy-duty components, make the baler durable enough to handle high-volume cornstalks.

“The O-ring chains on the Vermeer balers hold oil better and they’ve lasted longer,” Elbert adds. “I’ve had balers with and without O-ring chains and after having the Vermeer balers with them, I want all my balers to have them from now on.”

Another feature of the Cornstalk Special Elbert finds advantageous is the powered windguard.

“The windguard helps in big windrows because it doesn’t plug up,” Elbert says. “You can drive a little faster, which is great because then I can get more done.”In addition to a baler that can hold up to the conditions of cornstalk baling, Elbert also has to roll out as many bales as possible per hour. With any kind of baling, either hay or cornstalks, operators have to fight weather conditions in order to harvest their crop. Whether it be dealing with a drought or too much moisture, efficiency is crucial since the job has to get done while Mother Nature allows.

Even with the help of three hired hands, improving efficiency continues to be a priority for Elbert. He says one of his biggest time savings has come through the investment on his Cornstalk Special with an Inline™ Ramp.

“When Vermeer began testing the Inline Ramp, I was involved with that,” Elbert explains. “The first year they offered the Cornstalk Special with the Inline Ramp, I bought one. I like the attachment because it just makes the whole process of moving bales faster. It’s also a lot easier on the bale mover and tractor since you’re not bouncing over the rows to collect your bales. Not to mention, it’s easier on the operator because he’s traveling directly down the row instead of across it.”

Elbert recalls a change of heart from one of his operators during last year’s season.

“One guy working for me dreaded picking up the bales before, but now he doesn’t mind picking up the ones that have been moved with the Inline Ramp.”

After bales are picked up and placed on the bale mover, Elbert says he stacks them at the end of the field, where they

If you’ve ever driven across cornrows with a grain cart, or tractor and loader, you already know how rough the ride can be if you’re going in any direction other than straight down the row. Vermeer engineers are aware of that fact too. That’s why they developed the optional Inline™ Ramp for the 605 Super M Cornstalk Special Baler.

The unique Inline Ramp makes loading bales in the field even more efficient by turning the bales during discharge to position them between the rows. Lining the bales up with the rows not only saves time in the field, thanks to easier loading, but lessens the need to drive across rows, ridges and stalks. Since less movement is required for pickup, the system also helps reduce damage to the bales themselves.

Custom baler Pat Schumacher from Ainsworth, Neb. says the Inline Ramp really increases efficiencies. “We can go down the row which saves on tires and time as well. I would estimate we are seeing a 30 percent time savings. We do most of our baling late afternoon into the night so we have to be really productive – that is critical to us.

One Good Turn Deserves Another


Elbert stands in front of cornstalk bales from Fall 2012 at POET.

A POET biorefining plant located in Emmetsburg, Iowa.

remain until winter when he and two hired hands deliver them to POET.

Because Elbert is moving bales twice, he says quality of netwrap is highly important to his operation.

“All of the netwrap I use is Vermeer netwrap,” Elbert says. “I use it because I think it’s the toughest on the market. It takes the most abuse, which is important to us because we move bales to the end of the field, then load them onto the semi-trailers and take them to POET. We do a lot of hauling in the winter, so we have troubles with bales freezing down. We obviously want netwrap that is tough enough to hold up in those conditions.”

Elbert says that 90% of the bales he handles go to POET, and while he’s not

selling directly to POET, the producers he’s contracted to bale for are. Whether or not Elbert is selling directly to POET or working for others who are doing so,

it’s clear that there is a vast potential in the area for custom balers like him. “I could be doing some work for POET in future years, but right now I’m working for the farmers and the farmers are getting

paid by POET,” Elbert says. “POET is focusing on getting Project LIBERTY going, and once that opens they’ll space out deliveries. Their goal is to get bales coming

in 12 months out of the year.”

Elbert says his hope is that the cellulosic ethanol plant creates an even bigger need for corn stover and cornstalk baling in the area. He says he’s confident that good things will come from the plant.

“Not only will jobs be created at the plant itself, but there will also be jobs created when custom operations in the area start producing more and more cornstalk bales,” Elbert says. “They’ll need an operator for every baler they own, and they’ll need people to transport bales as well. All of this will help the local economy.”

In addition to the cellulosic ethanol plant helping the economy, Elbert also believes it’s providing a chance to be a good steward.

“One of the main advantages I see is that we are being more productive with our land because we’re getting more off of it,” Elbert says. “Not only are we using the corn, but we’re also using the crop residue too.”

Productivity is key in cornstalk baling, and Elbert feels that Vermeer is helping the productivity of his operation.

“I think the Cornstalk Special is the best baler on the market along with the best service for balers,” Elbert adds. “The local Vermeer dealer service is great. They understand that when it’s time to bale, it’s time to bale.”

No matter if you are baling cornstalks for an ethanol plant or to be used as feed and bedding for cattle, the need to be up and running when weather conditions allow is a top priority. Elbert knows this, and he hopes to achieve even more efficiency in the future as well.

“I hope to add a third Cornstalk Special Baler with an Inline Ramp for this coming fall,” Elbert says. “That’s my goal.”

SUMMER 2013


Harvesting for Biomass Below the BorderThe biomass industry

in Central and South America is reaching

monumental heights – literally – and it looks to rise even higher.

The traditional harvesting method in these regions has been to harvest sugarcane stalk, crush it for the juice and make ethanol and sugar. The remaining material – bagasse – is then burned in boilers at the sugar mill to generate steam and electricity to power the plant, making these operations self-sufficient.

Starting in 2015, it will be illegal to burn the sugarcane leaves before harvesting the

cane stalk, which means the harvest process will include harvesting the leaves as well.

Rather than seeing this as an obstacle, operations are instead viewing it as an opportunity to generate more electricity. Mills will now use both bagasse and

leaves to fuel the boilers, in the process creating excess energy which local

governments are paying to have placed on municipal grids.

The new source of revenue has prompted many sugar

mills to expand production of electricity. In addition to using bagasse and sugarcane, they are now growing and harvesting energy grasses (which share many qualities of sugar cane and reach towering heights) in order to make even more electricity.

Arundo Donax – a hollow, bamboo-like grass – can stretch upwards of 14-15 feet, outstanding by all standards of grass, and yet that’s a short feat compared to King Grass, which can grow as high as 20 feet. Indeed, this isn’t your lazy neighbor’s overgrown lawn.

These energy grasses not only grow extremely

Pictured: Honduras Baling Crew

Jay Van Roekel stands in front of four-month growth King Grass.

10 I Making Hay - Summer 2013

Prototype shown

which can handle two 4-foot-wide bales side by side. The demand for 4-foot-wide bales has made the 604 Super M Baler, 504 PRO Baler and 404 PRO Baler popular in these regions.

Many operators then use Vermeer tub or horizontal grinders to break down the bales. This material is then burned in the boilers to make steam and eventually electricity. The process is proving to be more efficient and economical than traditional methods that utilized fuel oil.

“With oil prices getting crazy and supply becoming somewhat unreliable, [mill operators] determined that it’s better to have their own reliable energy source,” said Van Roekel. “One operation has seen a 50-percent reduction in energy costs after one year, by doing it themselves.They don’t have the volatile market when it comes to purchasing fuel oil and they’re a little more self-supportive.”

good choice for operators looking to conquer the formidable energy grasses. The 4-foot wide bales produced by the 604 Super M are especially important in Central America. The variable chamber allows the customers to create bales that are the proper weight and size for their loaders and trucks to transport.

“We get too spoiled (in North America) with loaders on the front of tractors that you can throw a spear on,” said Van Roekel. “Bale handling is a challenge in many areas (of Central and South America). You can find a tractor to run a baler or rake, but then you have a bale sitting there and what do you do? You can’t roll it off. You have to mechanically move it. I have seen backhoes, pay loaders, and sugarcane loading devices used to handle bales, just about everything but front-end loaders. So there is a great opportunity to improve bale handling in these developing regions.”

Van Roekel said one popular method of transport is to use 8-foot-wide wagons,

tall – they grow quickly. “It’s incredible how it grows,” said Jay Van Roekel, Biomass Business Unit Manager at Vermeer, who makes regular trips to the region. Quick growth rates paired with extended growing seasons in the tropical climate (nine months a year) mean growers can harvest these towering energy grasses three or four times annually.

Arundo Donaz makes an exceptional biomass crop because of its propensity to release moisture quickly because it is hollow. “You can chop it down and bale it the next day at 25 percent moisture. It’s like you cut it and the water just runs out the bottom of it,” said Van Roekel. “It’s an amazing crop because you can bale it

dry and stably store it, even in the tropical climate.”

Of course when you’re chopping down grass that’s nearly two stories tall, any old push mower won’t do. King Grass, according to Van Roekel, is an even greater challenge because it’s a corn-like crop that is incredibly fibrous and doesn’t release moisture with the expediency of Arundo Donax.

“It’s a challenge because it’s full of water. To get it to dry down is tough,” said Van Roekel. “But we’ve been getting good results with Vermeer mower conditioners. It’s a lot of material to pull through a mower. But we’re knocking it down and we’re able to bale it.”

Van Roekel said the size, performance capabilities and durability of the 604 Super M Baler makes it a

King Grass Core

SUMMER 2013

If you’re in need of new parts now’s the time to visit your local Vermeer

dealer. Through the month of August, stop in to your Vermeer dealer to purchase a qualifying Vermeer parts kit for a chance to “Strike Gold” and win! Select parts kits will contain “Instant Winner” and “Enter to Win” sweepstakes cards. You can also enter to win online and at select Vermeer trade shows. Prizes will include:

King Grass Core

GRAND PRIZE $1,000 Vermeer bucks* & Vermeer Experience The Vermeer Experience is a two-day excursion to Pella, Iowa, that includes: • Door-to-door transportation for two • Private tour of Vermeer facilities • Photo with Vermeer Executive • Vermeer issued video camera to record activities • Personal assistant to help with your stay • Enjoy the Dutch heritage of Pella and more

FIRST PRIZES (8) $500 Vermeer bucks* SECOND PRIZES (10) $50 Vermeer bucks* INSTANT WINNER (50) Vermeer caps inserted into kits

For complete rules and regulations or to submit your entry form online, visit strikegold.vermeer.com *Vermeer bucks are money to be used for the purchase of goods orservices at any Vermeer forage dealership.

Feeling Lucky?

Strike Gold with Vermeer and You Could Win!

PLEASE SEND MAKIN’ HAY MY WAY!Sign up for your FREE subscription or refer a friend and get rollin’! vermeer.com/makinhay

Vermeer, the Vermeer logo, Rancher and Rebel are trademarks of Vermeer Manufacturing Company in the U.S. and/or other countries. © 2013 Vermeer Corporation. All rights reserved.

12I Makin’ Hay - Summer 2013

Watch it work at vermeer.com.

Vermeer, the Vermeer logo and Inline are trademarks of Vermeer Manufacturing Company in the U.S. and/or other countries. © 2013 Vermeer Corporation. All rights reserved.

This highly acclaimed workhorse bales more tons per day, making it the baler of choice for livestock producers and operators in the biomass industry. The addition of an optional InlineTM Ramp lets you line up bales for easy loading – without having to drive across rows and stalks – saving you valuable time in the field. Want the best? You’d better get in line.

GET IN LINE with the Super M Cornstalk Special

Vermeer Making Hay Volume1 Summer 2013

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