Flaman Rentals Blog

Reclaim land with a Kello-Bilt Disc Ripper from Flaman

Posted by Mitch Flaman Oct 14, 2021

It’s time to get ripping this fall and reclaim that land that hasn’t been seeded in years.

When the fall weather permits, tillage and other end-of-season work is necessary to get a jump start on prepping next year’s seedbed before the spring rush. Disc ripping is a great tillage method that you can use to break up hardpan and compaction layers, manage trash and crop residue, and increase acres by reclaiming some of the low spots in your field.

Given the dry conditions this year, the opportunity to reclaim low spots and disc dried-up sloughs is available. Using a Kello-Bilt Disc Ripper from Flaman allows you to improve moisture retention and root development by digging deeper into the ground.

Kello-Bilt Disc Rippers feature five adjustable ripping shanks that allow for depths of 12”, 15”, and 18”, setting them apart from conventional tillage or other types of tillage practices. The heavy-duty shanks on this machine dig below the compaction layer beneath the soil’s surface and demolish the hardpan.

Effectively shattering the hardpan with a Kello-Bilt 275DR allows plant roots to penetrate the soil further while accessing additional nutrients and moisture.

An interesting analogy when trying to understand how disc rippers reclaim land in dried-up slough bottoms is to think of a pool liner. After years of water sitting in a low spot on your field, the water saturation in the soil tightens up and creates a layer much like a pool liner. Disc ripping a dried-up slough bottom penetrates this liner, aerating the soil and allowing it to breathe again.

This increases soil efficiency with better moisture retention, microbial activity, and balanced pH levels to help reduce saline patches. In other words, “healthier soil” that will produce healthier plants.



The beauty of seeding into a low spot (once the slough bed has been properly disc ripped) is the likelihood of that land seeing moisture in the following crop year. In dry growing seasons, this additional moisture can be the difference between a heavy, high-busheling crop and a below-average yield.


 
For more information on how a Kello-Bilt Disc Ripper can help with seedbed preparation, managing post-harvest crop residue and trash this fall, or increasing acres next year by reclaiming land that hasn’t been seeded in years, talk to one of our ag specialists at your nearest Flaman location.


 Shaun walks through the features of the Kello-Bilt 275 Disc Ripper

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Interested in trying out the Kello-Bilt 275DR on your farm but not ready to purchase? We offer short-term rentals of tillage and field prep equipment, as well as grain handling equipment, hay and livestock equipment, trailers, and more. Contact your local dealer for rental inquiries and current product availability.

Heavy harrow meets high speed tillage: Why the Schulte SoilStar Disc Harrow is the best of both worlds

Posted by Mitch Flaman Jun 03, 2021

There are a lot of different discs and harrows on the market, but there is nothing quite like the Schulte SoilStar Disc Harrow.

Whether you are cleaning up after a bumper crop or dealing with pulse residue post-harvest, properly managing the trash in your field is important prior to seeding. The Schulte DHX combines a 5-bar heavy harrow and a double row of wavy coulter discs. This unique design is engineered to properly size straw and manage it in the top 1.5” – 2” of the soil.

Although traditional discs can be effective at leveling a field, they are also known to bury heavy straw residue down into the soil and not properly size it. The result of this is that the field may look like it has been left clean, but the straw remains intact below the surface. The problems arise when the air seeder brings the straw back to the surface in spring and creates trash piles.

Harrowing can also prove effective in providing a finer finish to the field prior to seeding, but heavy trash that remains after a large-yielding crop can bunch up and create substantial piles of material behind the equipment.

The Schulte Disc Harrow is the best of both worlds. The 18” double row of wavy coulter discs are spaced at 7.2” and are available in 8 wave and 13 wave options – effectively sizing the straw in the top 1.5” – 2” of the soil. This levels the soil without being overly aggressive and without over-disturbing the topsoil like a concave disc.

The coulter discs move independently from the main frame, which allows the operator to either maximize the weight of the machine on the cutting edge of the discs or lift them completely and use the DHX as a 5-bar harrow.

The Schulte SoilStar is available in 36’ and 60’ widths and requires a minimum of 8 HP per foot. Depending on the stubble and soil conditions, the DHX can be pulled between 7-10 mph. 


DHX-600 (60' model) 

DHX-360 (36' model) 

Whether you are prepping the field in late fall or early spring, the Schulte DHX is proven to get you in the field sooner and maximize your time. With the ability to adjust the disc depth and tine angle from 35 degrees to 90 degrees, you no longer have to wait for ideal conditions to get rolling – the Schulte Disc Harrow is just as effective in wet conditions. When used in the springtime, the DHX can warm up the soil and speed up weed seed germination to promote a proper pre-seed burn off for producers hitting the field with a sprayer.

The versatility of the Schulte Disc Harrow is what sets it apart from the competition in the tillage world. 

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For more information on how the Schulte DHX can help you manage post-harvest trash and straw residue in your field this fall or quicken soil warming and increase water penetration next spring, talk to one of our ag specialists at your nearest Flaman location.