Farming can feel like a gamble when farmers don't use modern technology. Success often comes down to a farmer's personal skill and experience, but after a season of hard work, no one wants to risk losing their yield. This is why more and more farmers are now turning to precision agriculture.
Recently, the farmer Alex Pappenfoot had an in-depth talk with Chris Herrnbock from FJD's local partner, ChDp Ventures, for an on-field interview. They discussed how smart agricultural technology—the FJD AT2 Auto Steer System—has changed Alex's daily farming operations for the better.
Farmer and Farming Profile
Q: Can you introduce yourself?I'm Alex Pappenfoot, and we're in Munster, Saskatchewan, at ChDp Ventures.
Q: How long have you been farming? And what do you farm?
I've been farming for 11 years in Carmel, Saskatchewan. We grow mostly wheat, canola, barley and peas. We've got some cows, but mostly a grain operation.
Q: Can you tell me about the growing season in Canada?
Here in Saskatchewan, usually our growing season starts at the end of April, and we seed right until the end of May. Some years may go into the beginning of June. We follow up with our in-crop herbicide application, which is typically done by the end of June or the first couple of days of July. Many people use a fungicide application on most crops, and that's currently this time, you know, middle of July, kind of thing which falls into the haying season and is followed up by desiccation or swathing towards the tail end of August. We harvest everything right through hopefully we're done by the end of September. But for many years, we've been harvesting into October also.
Q: How does your farming season start?Our farming season here typically starts at the end of April or the beginning of May. We have two guys in the seeder, and we run two eight-to-twelve-hour shifts, depending on the day or how quickly we need to get done. I spend most of my spring and summer in the sprayer until it's time for haying, and we make a bit of hay for the cows, a little bit extra to sell here, and I get back in the sprayer for desiccating, and we straight cut just about every acre of crop on the farm here.
A Need for Simplicity
Q: Where did you first hear about FJD Auto Steering System?I first heard about FJD Auto Steering Systems through Chris Herrnbock at ChDp Ventures.
Q: What made you decide to use one?
I decided to use one in my combine in the fall to help just keep going in a straight line, increase my productivity a little bit at night, and make life a little bit easier.
Q: How long have you been using it？
I've only had it for one season so far.
Q: What kind of correction signal are you using?
I'm just using a WAAS correction signal. I don't have RTK on anything on the farm, but I've no need to upgrade it, especially with this system, I don't think.
Q: Where did you first hear about FJD Auto Steering System?
I first heard about FJD Auto Steering Systems through Chris Herrnbock at ChDp Ventures.
Q: What made you decide to use one?
I decided to use one in my combine in the fall to help just keep going in a straight line, increase my productivity a little bit at night, and make life a little bit easier.
Q: How long have you been using it？
I've only had it for one season so far.
Q: What kind of correction signal are you using?
I'm just using a WAAS correction signal. I don't have RTK on anything on the farm, but I've no need to upgrade it, especially with this system, I don't think.
Q: What kind of benefits has it brought to your work?
It's made things a lot more manageable as an operator to control the speed and watch the throughput of the machine. And it's so much easier in the dark and in the dust. You don't have to worry about driving everything or keeping everything in a straight line. You can pay attention to where your attention needs to be.
Q: Does the auto steering system meet your accuracy requirements during the actual operation?
The accuracy of the system has been fairly flawless. I've never had an issue apart from solar flares, but our other brand systems had the same issues.
Q: What is your favorite feature of the system and why?
My favorite feature of the whole system is the repeated pass-to-pass accuracy. I've never had to bump into a line or adjust anything. I just hop in and start it, and it works.
Q: Can you talk about that dust storm that you just mentioned?
Last fall, we had a bit of a dust storm. It was so calm and still, and we were using combines to harvest peas. Going one way, you could see absolutely nothing. The other combine had to stop because he couldn't see where the end of his header was. And I just kept plugging up and down and didn't have much of an issue. A guy had to strain to see quite a bit. But now I wasn't concerned about where I was going or where the end of the field was or nothing because I had FJD system in the combine. Awesome perfect!
Q: Is the system easy to operate? Have you experienced any difficulties?
The system is fairly easy to operate. I've had a couple of small hiccups that are probably due to myself not being the most technological person here, but every time I've had an issue, Chris at CHDP has been very quick to help me out and has had everything sorted out fairly quickly.
Q: Have you faced any technical problems? Were they solved quickly?
I had issues once on my land about 35 miles south of home, and Chris was out within an hour and had me up and running again.
Trusted Accuracy in the Dark or Dust
Q: What kind of benefits has it brought to your work?It's made things a lot more manageable as an operator to control the speed and watch the throughput of the machine. And it's so much easier in the dark and in the dust. You don't have to worry about driving everything or keeping everything in a straight line. You can pay attention to where your attention needs to be.
Q: Does the auto steering system meet your accuracy requirements during the actual operation?
The accuracy of the system has been fairly flawless. I've never had an issue apart from solar flares, but our other brand systems had the same issues.
Q: What is your favorite feature of the system and why?
My favorite feature of the whole system is the repeated pass-to-pass accuracy. I've never had to bump into a line or adjust anything. I just hop in and start it, and it works.
Q: Can you talk about that dust storm that you just mentioned?
Last fall, we had a bit of a dust storm. It was so calm and still, and we were using combines to harvest peas. Going one way, you could see absolutely nothing. The other combine had to stop because he couldn't see where the end of his header was. And I just kept plugging up and down and didn't have much of an issue. A guy had to strain to see quite a bit. But now I wasn't concerned about where I was going or where the end of the field was or nothing because I had FJD system in the combine. Awesome perfect!
Easy to Use and Reliable Support
Q: Is the system easy to operate? Have you experienced any difficulties?The system is fairly easy to operate. I've had a couple of small hiccups that are probably due to myself not being the most technological person here, but every time I've had an issue, Chris at CHDP has been very quick to help me out and has had everything sorted out fairly quickly.
Q: Have you faced any technical problems? Were they solved quickly?
I had issues once on my land about 35 miles south of home, and Chris was out within an hour and had me up and running again.
A Smart Tool for Modern Farmers
Q: Are there any features you wish this system had?I don't think there are any other features I wish the system had. It's a very good put together and it’s a thorough system.
Q: How valuable is the FJD steering system to your farm operations and would you recommend it to others?
This steering system is near invaluable to our operation. I couldn't imagine going all fall without one again. I had a couple of days (where) I was in the other combine without auto steer, and I felt like a caveman. But I wouldn't trade it for nothing. I'd recommend it to anyone. I have recommended it to anyone who's been looking for a cost-effective solution for auto steering guidance.
Alex sees the FJD AT2 Auto Steer System as more than just a smart tool; it's an invaluable part of his business. This simple yet powerful system has proven its worth by providing flawless accuracy and making tough jobs, like harvesting in a dust storm, manageable and safe. For Alex, and for a growing number of farmers, the FJD autosteering solution is a part of the future of agriculture—a smart, reliable, and cost-effective solution that turns farming from a gamble into a confident operation.