Geringhoff | Superior Corn Header Technology

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THE EXPERIENCE Summer, 2013 Custom Combiners Johnson farms runs Geringhoff heads to ensure their custom combining operation stays running. Integrated Crop Flow System The Geringhoff Exclusive ICF System is helping farmers power through even the toughest conditions. The Corn Basket The Canadian corn market has seen some great growth over the past few years, and is expected to continue into the next decade. www.Geringhoff.com St. Cloud based Geringhoff facility making progress towards full production. Shawn and Lance Johnson Owners of Johnson Harvesting

Transcript of Geringhoff | Superior Corn Header Technology

Page 1: Geringhoff | Superior Corn Header Technology

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EXPERIENCESummer, 2013

Custom CombinersJohnson farms runs Geringhoff heads to ensure their custom combining operation stays running.

Integrated Crop Flow SystemThe Geringhoff Exclusive ICF System is helping farmers power through even the toughest conditions.

The Corn BasketThe Canadian corn market has seen some great growth over the past few years, and is expected to continue into the next decade.

www.Geringhoff.com

St. Cloud based Geringhoff facility making progress towards full production.

Shawn andLance Johnson

Owners of Johnson Harvesting

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Experience is a publication of Geringhoff.For more information on the products featured in Experience please visit www.geringhoff.com. All materials copyright of Geringhoff. Trademarks of products are themarks of their respective manufacturers and/or distributors. Printed in the U.S. 05/12 Part# GP7000For reprint permission please contact:

Geringhoff205 46th Ave NEMinot ND, 58703 Proudly affiliated with:

Experience is sent free of charge to qualified corn growers courtesy of Geringhoff dealers. To register for a free subscription, or remove your name from the mailing list, please contact:

Geringhoff Experience ATTN: CirculationPO BOX 490, Minot ND, 58702.

Congratulations to the Rhea FamilyWe would like to send out our congratulations to the Rhea family who received the award for the National Corn Yield Contest from the National Corn Growers Association at the Commodity Classic show in Kissimmee, FL. We featured the Rhea family in an article titled ‘The Beast” in last year’s winter issue of the Geringhoff Experience. While running their Geringhoff NorthStar 12 row 30” corn head, Scott Rhea (pictured on left below) harvested 336 bushel per acre dryland corn.

We wish the Rhea family continued success with their farming operation and hope to see another great harvest for everyone in 2013.

Sincerely,

Geringhoff Sales and Marketing Team

Shawn and Lance Johnson of Johnson Harvesting count on the durability, reliability, and dependability of the Geringhoff heads to get them through thousands of acres every harvest.

Topics Geringhoff American Production ................................Page 2Integrated Crop Flow System .......................................Page 4The Corn Basket .............................................................Page 6Corn Fuels European ‘Mini’ Biogas Factories ..............Page 8Durable. Reliable. Dependable. ..................................Page 9Horizon SC Elite - Windrow Header ............................Page 12Show Listing ...................................................................Page 14Photo Contest Entry Information ................................Page 14

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n September of 2012, Geringhoff held a press conference announcing that there would be a manufacturing facility built

in St. Cloud, Minnesota that would be producing Geringhoff corn harvesters. We are happy to announce that the St. Cloud based manufacturing facility is progressing quickly and is on schedule to start production in 2014. There have been crews hard at work day in and day out installing crane systems, equipment in the welding area, a paint booth to paint the parts in the factory, a full parts department, shipping areas, and office space for the Geringhoff employees.

Constructing a Factory

If you haven’t worked inside a factory, you probably are like most people and take for granted all the planning, layout, heavy machinery, and dedicated workers needed to make a factory run smoothly. Geringhoff, founded in 1880, has had many decades of practice to make their factory run smooth and efficient. From the moment that Geringhoff decided to build a factory in St. Cloud, Minnesota, the brilliant minds that have helped perfect the factory in Ahlen, Germany, came together once again to construct an efficient, state of the art facility, to produce German engineered corn harvesters right here on American soil. There are many members that make up this team working hard to create this factory. Some are from Germany, and some are from America, but nobody thinks of where they were born or of what heritage they descend from, they think of one another as one Geringhoff team. The ‘GAP-13’

(German American Production-2013) team has formed a cohesive unit that has one goal in mind, to build a facility that will produce the finest corn harvesters in the world.

Supply Network

One of the important reasons that Geringhoff chose St. Cloud is the large network of suppliers that are easily accessable in the region. They do their best to invest

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The Minnesota based Geringhoff Manufacturing facility is progressing quickly and is scheduled for full production by 2014.

Pictured above: Brent Miner and Mike Schueller working on the assembly of a head manufactured in the St. Cloud facility.

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their money into local suppliers. St. Cloud, Minneapolis, as well as other cities around the area, have been very accommodating to help meet the requirements to supply the factory with the items they need. Geringhoff currently has 31 local suppliers with 225 parts that have been sourced and approved, according to Herman Braun, the Director of

Manufacturing at Geringhoff.

Ensuring Quality

To ensure the heads are up to the standard of quality produced out of the German factory, there have been several Geringhoff employees that have traveled over to St. Cloud from Germany, and spent weeks in the factory training

new employees. They are making sure that all welds are perfect, all bolts are torqued to the correct specifications, and all integrated items work perfectly together once the heads are assembled. So prepare yourself for a new breed of cornhead, created by German Engineering, and built with American Muscle.

Pictured bottom left: John Hinchey welding a shipping stand for the heads.

Pictured bottom right: The lineup of the first heads manufactured in St. Cloud, Minnesota.

To share your Elite experience, please [email protected]

Integrated Crop Flow SystemWorking Together to Provide a Superior Harvest Experience

Time is money, especially when it comes to running harvest equipment. Geringhoff’s Integrated Crop Flow system is designed to increase your harvesting speed, while reducing shatter and cob losses. You’ll reduce the hours spent in your combine while maximizing profitability.

MaximumYield Retention

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ith the brutal conditions farmers face year after year, more and more farmers are becoming

pro-active instead of re-active. How are farmers preparing for these challenging conditions? Simple, they are adding the two optional ICF features to their Geringhoff corn heads.

End Row Augers

End Row Augers have been a very popular addition to both the Rota Disc and NorthStar Elite series heads. These spinning augers are located on the end

poly divider and effectively push stalks and cobs into the trough that can lean off the edge of the head during harvest. End row augers also help keep those areas of the head free from debris and fluff. We spoke with Allan Haugo (pictured above), a Rota Disc owner and operator since 2005. Allan farms 5,200 acres with his brother near Waubun, MN. Allan said, “Every once in a while, around certain varieties of corn, it ends up piling up on the end rows. You either have to stop, get out, and push them into the corn head or else it will fall off onto the ground instead of into the corn head. The end row augers keep the pace going and keeps things clean and the corn coming into the head.” We caught up with Richard Sulzberger from Verona, IL, who runs a Rota Disc as well. Richard commented, “It saves a lot of stalks from hanging on the outside edge, and being as they are hydraulically driven instead of belts and motors is very impressive. My son farms with me and we both agree that we would never own another corn head without them.”

The ICF Sweeper

The second optional feature is the ICF Sweeper. It’s integrated into the frame for a clean, sleek design, and features slim paddles that are designed to keep the tangled, down corn flowing, and speed up harvest. This saves farmers countless hours every year during harvest. Not only is it saving farmers time, but it also allows them to harvest when other heads simply can’t. The ICF Sweeper is adjustable up and down, fore and aft, all from the comfort of the cab. This allows the operator to quickly customize the position of the sweeper to best fit their current conditions. Allan Haugo chose to go with the ICF Sweeper in addition to his end row augers, so that he would be prepared for anything. Being from Minnesota, the owners of Haugo farms are familiar with strong winds. Allan commented, “It really helped keep the corn coming in. You couldn’t even see the rows which way we were supposed to go and it just kept things moving. We were able

More farmers are adding the optional ICF features to maximize performance, in even the most challenging conditions.

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to keep moving without stopping the combine and it saved us alot of corn.”

Severe Down Corn The Reeves Brothers out of Ladoga, IN were one of the top entries in our 2012 photo contest. With their entry, they also sent in a photo of their field (top left) which looked like it had been hit with a pretty severe windstorm. “Our NorthStar shined this year. After a

record breaking drought along with high winds and two hail storms, our best corn was left looking like a straw woven mat rolled out across the field. The North Star [with end row augers] picked up corn flat to the ground at speeds up to 5mph,” said the Reeves brothers. “The NorthStar brings in the harvest stress free.” That corn doesn’t look like it would be stress free, but with the help of the ICF system, they were able to save their crop.

Yield Retention

Last year’s conditions were tough for most farmers, but served as a great test for corn heads. Geringhoff heads have been carefully engineered to have the best of both worlds, aggressive crop movement via the ICF Auger, yet a gentle handling of the crop to avoid shatter. These features are standard on all Geringhoff Elite heads.

Leo Metzger, who runs a Rota Disc Elite with an ICF Sweeper said, “Another thing that really stands out to me is how great it has been for yield retention. This last year we had a drought and a lot of our stalks and ears were below the standard so it was tough to keep them from shattering. It was extreme conditions and we saw crop loss with our neighboring farms as well. But with the Rota Disc, the way it pulls the stalks through, it didn’t seem to put any corn on the ground. I think it’s just the way the design is, how the three rolls are offset and how it pulls the corn through seems to reduce the amount of crop loss.” The ICF system is designed to allow the best possible harvest experience for the farmer. This means getting through fields in challenging conditions, and putting bushels in your bin. Even after others have given up, you can count on your Geringhoff head to power through. With the optional ICF Sweeper and End Row Augers equipped, you can rest assured that your head will be prepared for all conditions.

To share your experience, please [email protected]

After exciting refinements have been made to version 7.0 of the Indpendence, the new Independence (version 8.4) will be making it’s North American in-field debut at the Farm Progress Show field demos on August 27th-29th.*

After the show, the Independence will be making appearances in numerous open houses throughout the country. Be sure to attend the field demos and witness the most exciting piece of farm machinery in action.

*Participation in demos is contingent upon field conditions and corn maturity.

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hat has long been known as, “The world’s bread basket”, Canadian Prairie provinces like

Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Alberta have seen their corn and sunflower acres increase exponentially in the last few years. With this increase comes the need for a head that can, not only handle both crops, but can stand up to the harsh climates that Canadian farmers face near the end of harvest. Enter the NorthStar Elite with optional sunflower attachments. Corn has long been grown in the southern part of Ontario, but there is an increasing number of acres making their

way west as the overall temperatures climb, allowing for a more hospitable growing season. Currently comparable to acres in Alabama, there is thought that the prairies show potential to match North Carolina type production in the 1 million acre range. Farmers see it as another profitable part of their farming operation.

A Family Owned Farm

The Kornkven Farm was started by Don Kornkven back in 1972. Don, along with his two sons Chase and Jared, now farm over 12,000 acres. 33 Kilometers north of the American border, Alameda, Saskatchewan is a small town located squarely in the middle of the vast wheat and barley prairies. Look twice though, and this area is quickly becoming the Geringhoff capital of central Canada. In the last year, there has been an injection of quality German equipment in the area with two Geringhoff heads currently running in the field, and a third head in the works. “In researching a suitable row crop head for our operation, we were concerned with finding one of superior quality, with the flexibility to provide

efficient, high performance harvesting of both our corn and sunflower acres. After an exceptional showing this season, it looks like our 40’, 30” Geringhoff NorthStar was the right choice,” said Chase Kornkven Last year, they started with 2,000 acres of sunflowers and 500 acres of corn. Not a huge number by any means, but when you consider just 3- 4 years earlier, you would be shocked to see a corn stalk pop up in the golden flat lands of Saskatchewan. Once the decision to plant the crop was made, it was time to decide how to harvest it. In the end, they decided that their best option would be to find a quality piece of equipment that could harvest both. This meant one thing; Geringhoff. Armed with a 16 row 30” NorthStar Elite with passive sunflower adapters, back screen and side attachments, the Kornkven family was ready to tackle their first corn/sunflower harvest. With harvest pushed back to late November and the snow creeping up on

The Canadian market has seen a significant amount of growth in the corn market over the past year, and is expected to continue growth over the next few years.

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Pictured Opposite: Chase Kornkven standing in front of their 16 row 30” NorthStar head with passive sunflower adapters, back screen, and side attachments.

*Participation in demos is contingent upon field conditions and corn maturity.

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them, they were relieved to have the quality and ruggedness of a Geringhoff head in front of them. With sunflowers reaching over 9 feet tall, and corn stalks as tough as logs, they were thankful to have sunflower adapters and the reliable knife rolls doing the heavy lifting. This year, they are following the current trend and are increasing their corn acres to 1,000. As large farmers and trend setters in the area, they will have many eyes on them this year, which could mean a larger population for the unofficial “Geringhoff Capital of the Prairies”.

Growth of Dealers and Area Interest

In the last year, Manitoba and Saskatchewan have seen an increase in dealerships eager to sign up to be a Geringhoff dealer. Todd Botterill, of Botterill Sales in Newton, Manitoba, is a Geringhoff rep for the prairies. He says the excitement is due to the reputation Geringhoff carries for being the best in the industry for reliability and strength. “In Manitoba we have a history and a good reputation. I’m also seeing an interest in the Rota Disc Elite due to our short harvest season. Since we are usually harvesting corn late in the fall we don’t have a lot of warm weather to help with working the ground or managing the residue. With the cooler weather, the residue doesn’t break down as fast, so the more we can do to break up the residue the better off we are.” The Rota Disc’s exclusive stalk destruction system is a perfect fit for the short harvest season that central Canadians face. Todd said, “The fact that we tend to cut into smaller pieces also helps the residue to pass through air drills. Many farmers are going to precision hoe drills with a double knife system. These drills have problems with plugging with high amounts of residue. The smaller piece size after the Rota Disc will really help these farmers the following spring.” Todd joined forces with Geringhoff in 2012. This also marked the first time a Geringhoff corn head was showcased at the Western Farm Progress Show in Regina and Ag days in Brandon Manitoba. One thing was certain, from that point on, Geringhoff would be very well known in the area, not only for the harvest of corn for grain, but for additional uses as well. “We are also seeing more interest in

corn in the mixed livestock and grain farms. Land prices have increased very dramatically, making it difficult to profitably pasture a lot of land,” according to Todd. “Livestock producers are looking at planting corn in those fields. If the crop matures well and looks good they will harvest the grain and graze the cattle on the remains. If the crop doesn’t grow well or is damaged by frost they will just graze it. These farmers are also interested in the new Horizon Elite SC stover collection system (Page 12) to allow baling of the residue.”

Numbers Don’t Lie

“There is no doubt we will see corn acres increase,” Todd confidently claims. According to Statistics Canada, there has been a 78% increase in corn growth in

the prairies since 2002. Due to warmer overall climates, the land is becoming more hospitable to corn and the Canadian prairie farmers are reacting. Over 300,000 acres of corn were planted in Manitoba last year, exhausting the seed supply in many areas before planting. Statistics Canada is expecting a 7% increase to that number this year. It’s not going to challenge Iowa or Illinois, where as most counties can match that, but it is a big change in the Canadian Agriculture landscape, and Geringhoff is happy to be on the forefront. With no corn grower association in Saskatchewan, it is hard to estimate corn acres. Even so, Todd believes that it has definitely increased. “There were several corn schools in Manitoba and Saskatchewan this winter and all were very well attended. One of the Pioneer meetings had 400 attendees, and one in Regina had over 250.” He also mentions that Pioneer has targeted western Canada and has set a target of 1 million acres of corn in Saskatchewan in 3 years and 11 million acres of grain corn in western Canada in the next ten years. “The development of more short season corn varieties are definitely going to help the increase in corn acres.” The future of corn’s impact on the Canadian agricultural outlook is bright. With the amazing growth seen in the past ten years, corn may begin to be as Canadian as Maple Syrup, hockey and poutine.

To share your experience, please [email protected]

After an exceptional showing this season, it looks like our 40’, 30” Geringhoff NorthStar was the right choice.

- Chase Kornkven

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he biofuels industry is booming across much of western Europe, however their mini biofuel factories

stand in stark contrast to our traditional massive North American ethanol plants. One of the leaders in Europe is Germany based AgriCapital with 91 successful mini-biogas factories generating the equivalent of only 89 megawatts, or less than a megawatt per factory. That compares to our massive North American ethanol plants, each generating an average of 67 million gallons of ethanol per year. The energy output of the US style to the European style of factory is over 1000 to 1 but the North American factories are struggling to earn a profit. We have to ask ourselves if bigger is better in this case of biofuel production. AgriCapital’s business model is based on close partnership with local agricultural businesses. The company’s biogas plants are operated by expert local farmers, who supply them with raw materials. This partnership is ensured through long-term agreements. Farmers also have the opportunity to participate permanently in the success of each plant through performance-related remuneration. Several hundred farmers are currently partners with AgriCapital.

Biogas Plants Are Operated By Expert Local Farmers

The local farmer who supplies the biomass has the opportunity to use the factory energy to run their operation,

however, a key focus for AgriCapital is feeding-in of biomethane into the natural gas grid. Biomethane is transportable and can be piped from a decentralized production location in rural areas to end-users in urban areas. Furthermore, biomethane is storable and can be used as converted energy both spatially and temporally independently from its production. Biomethane is becoming increasingly significant in the framework of the German government’s energy strategy. Around 6 million cubic metres of biomethane are intended to be fed into the natural gas grid on an annual basis.

Partners From the Start

Only 6.5 miles west of the Geringhoff Headquarters in Ahlen, Germany, Alois Loermann has established a strong reputation as an AG-contractor, and has given plenty of helpful feedback to the Geringhoff team throughout the past years. Ever since Alois founded his company in 1985, Geringhoff corn heads have been a reliable part of his fleet.“We started with the old PC-model back in ‘85, and haven’t changed to a different manufacturer since. Geringhoff corn heads always did a good job and we never saw the need to consider any other head. Once they came out with the Rota Disc header we were completely convinced. Today we use a six and an eight row folding Rota Disc header”. Since the fields he harvests are often small, many field changes are done

every day. “Mobility is an absolute must for us, so we stick to working widths that will allow us to change fields fast. We just fold up the header and move on to our next job. That’s perfect for us,” says Loermann, who’s team harvested a total of 2,100 acres last season. “We’ve had our little fights and brawls throughout the years,” he replies with a grin when asked about his personal Geringhoff Experience, “That’s normal - it’s a people company, but overall everything has been great. The service is reliable, parts availability is excellent and the team there really puts their heart and soul into helping me out. They’ve never let me down.”

To share your Elite experience, please [email protected]

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Overview of German plant

locations.

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here was equipment covering the entire gravel parking lot at the shop site on Johnson farms near Evansville, Minnesota.

While some farmers are in the middle of spring planting, Shawn and Lance Johnson are already gearing up for another busy harvest season. Johnson Harvesting is preparing to head south with several machines in preparation for harvest in Texas. It gets to be a long and tough harvest season with many hours behind a windshield, but it’s what they’ve been doing their whole lives. “We’re standing on a century farm. It’s been here for over 130 years. We are

4th generation farmers,” Shawn said. Following in the footsteps of their family before them, they are continuing the tradition of farming, along with running a family owned custom harvesting business. “This is our 53rd year in custom combining. Our dad started it. We start in northern Texas and go through Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana, and then we come back here to Minnesota. We put on about 90,000 - 95,000 acres when everything is running on a good year. We harvest wheat, corn and soy beans.” “Basically, I’m on the road when it starts in Texas until harvest is over,” said Shawn, who goes on the road with the custom harvesting operation while Lance stays back and takes care of things back home. Lance farms 3,000 acres of family farm land, and then another 2,000 acres locally for other area farmers.

Equipment is Essential

Johnson Harvesting runs red combines. In the past, when they had less acres to

The Johnson brothers count on Geringhoff corn heads to be durable enough to power through thousands of acres every season.

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Pictured Top: Shawn and Lance Johnson standing in front of their 2004 Geringhoff Rota Disc.

Pictured Below: Johnson Harvesting owners in front of the equipment getting ready to leave for harvest in Texas.

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farm, they used red corn heads as well. They decided to make the change to Geringhoff after they had a growing season with some very tough conditions. “Initially we had a really wet, tough season, it was the only header we could get to work in those conditions. After that we’ve kept coming back to Geringhoff for the reliability and quality of the headers. We can run these things thousands of acres a year and not have to do anything to them,” said Lance.

Built to Last

Reliability is the key to any operation, but when it comes to custom harvesting, business depends upon it. Geringhoff heads are engineered with this in mind, to hold strong in any condition and last the test of time. The Johnson brothers’ original 2004 Geringhoff Rota Disc has done just that, it has lasted them over 25,000 acres without having to replace a single gearbox. Lance commented, “25,000 acres on that original Geringhoff head and we have never had to replace a gearbox in it. That says a lot for the product and the company that is producing them.” “We’ve had gathering chains last

upwards around 15,000 - 20,000 acres and we haven’t had to replace them.If the heads do need some work, they look very intimidating, but after you work on them, they are actually pretty simple and easy to keep going. You can

have a corn head done in a half a day and back in the field good as new.” Lance added, “Each corn head that we’ve got, we’re putting 2-3 seasons of the typical farmer on that every year. It’s the same way with our combines, we’re putting 1,000 hours a year on them. That takes the typical farmer 3 years to get that done. We need a header that is capable of running 3 full seasons without having a lot of breakdowns. The Geringhoff gives us that. We don’t have time to stop mid-season and totally rebuild a corn head, and the nice thing about a Geringhoff is that we don’t need to.”

A Brand You Can Trust

Last year, they decided to add a different brand of head into their list of options, but quickly decided to trade those off for more Geringhoff heads after having some issues. The Johnson brothers didn’t want to dwell on what went wrong with the unnamed brand of head they tried, but instead wanted to keep things on a positive note about what has been working well for them with their Rota Disc and NorthStar heads. “The downtime is what costs you money, we can’t afford downtime, and with the Geringhoff we don’t have that. We don’t have much trouble with them,” said Shawn, “The only gearbox we’ve had to replace is when one kid tried to take down a telephone pole, other than

We’ve had gathering chains last upwards around 15,000 - 20,000 acres and we haven’t had to replace them. - Lance Johnson

Pictured Top: Shawn Johnson standing in front of their 2004 Geringhoff Rota Disc.

Pictured Below: Their original 2004 Rota Disc is definitely showing some wear, but it still works great and gets the job done after 9 years of harvesting.

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that we’ve never had a problem. The kid misjudged depth perception and hit a telephone pole. It cracked a gearbox and wrecked the end snout. Other than that it didn’t hurt the frame or anything else, and that was on the folding NorthStar, so I guess they can take a beating.”

Providing Options to Customers

Johnson Harvesting does their best to meet the needs of their customers. They are customer driven business owners, and that is one of the reasons why they have been in business for over 53 years.

In order to provide their customers with different options, they own 2 NorthStars and 3 Rota Discs, and have just placed an order for 4 more 2013 Geringhoff heads. That makes for a total of 9 corn heads in their lineup. Customers can choose whether they would like chopping or non-chopping heads doing their harvesting, depending on their individual needs. Shawn said,“A lot of our customers like the Geringhoff Rota Disc because it slices the stalks into the smaller pieces. A lot of the guys we combine for are sugar beet farmers, so they like to get it chopped up so it can get blacker for sugar beets.” Residue management can be a complicated process if you don’t have the proper tools. It’s no coincidence that Geringhoff has specialized in this area for many years, and Shawn and Lance enjoy having these tools at their disposal. Lance commented, “Residue management is a big role that the Geringhoffs play in our operation. Either on our own farm or our harvesting operation.” “With the chopping heads, we are able to save the farmer an extra pass, so they can sell their stalk choppers and we can do their residue management for them. And as custom harvesters we can charge more for that because we are managing their residue for them, so it’s a

good business decision for us to be able to offer that option.” It’s a win-win situation, the Johnson Harvesting business benefits because of it, and the customers and farmers benefit by not having to make extra passes through the field with expensive equipment. Lance added, “It definitely saves extra passes in the spring and makes it much more plantable. The biggest benefit is for our customers, and we benefit by being able to charge a little more for residue management.” Durable. Reliable. Dependable. Those are the qualities that Johnson Harvesting looks for in machinery, and those are the core qualities that a Geringhoff corn head is built around.

To share your Elite experience, please [email protected]

It was the only header we could get to work in those conditions. After that we’ve kept coming back to Geringhoff for the reliability and quality of the headers. - Shawn Johnson

Keeping Current

To stay up to date with Geringhoff news, like us on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/geringhoffusa, or follow us on Twitter @Geringhoff. Also, look out for announcements like the photo contest, show information, special promotions and new products.

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ever one to allow the market to dictate its direction, Geringhoff has always been on the forefront of

agricultural technology. In 1997 they revealed the Rota Disc and changed the way the industry viewed residue management. With the impending release of the Independence prototype, it has growers reconsidering their row width and planting strategy. 2013 was no different in that aspect, where Geringhoff has again taken the National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville, KY as an opportunity to showcase this forward thinking. From their usual location, on lot 4033 in the North Wing, they unveiled the brand new Horizon SC Elite Windrow Header.

A Unique Design

One of biggest differences that is first noticed is the cutting system featured on the Horizon SC Elite. Featuring a modified Horizontal cutting system, the rotating blades have a ridge that assists in pushing the collected material back into the lower trough. A common question Geringhoff receives is, “Why isn’t the patented Rota Disc chopping system used under there?” This system is used instead because the Rota Disc’s vertical chopping system shreds the stalks into pieces too small. These smaller cut pieces are not ideal for stover collection. Another reason we use these modified lawnmower blades is because the horizontal chopping system has a natural motion that pushes the material back into the trough instead of down onto the ground. Designed for biomass collection, residue management, cellulosic ethanol and feed stock, the Horizon SC Elite works by chopping the stalks, using our horizontal chopping system, and

gathers the stover under the stalk rolls into a trough. This process prevents stover from contacting the ground and collecting dirt while chopping it into small, manageable pieces. The ability to keep the collected stover free from debris or dirt is a big benefit of this system. Once the material is collected into the secondary trough behind the chopping system, it is guided into a windrow by the auger system and is placed onto the field. From there it can be immediately baled, gathered, or left to dry if the conditions call for it. This process reduces labor costs and equipment wear, as it is all done in one pass by your primary harvest header.

Why Now?

There is talk gaining steam regarding the process of windrowing corn stalks and treating them for livestock feed. Using an application of liquid anhydrous ammonia can provide nutrients that are similar to that found in the actual corn

The Horizon SC Elite is the next big thing in the stover collection industry.

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itself and aid in preservation. Providing a second use for the crop can place a large amount of profit into the farmers hands. Another big reason for the push in stover is the increase in awareness for cellulosic biofuels. Case in point is Dupont Agriculture. DuPont recently announced a plan to commercialize advanced biofuels by building its own cellulosic ethanol facility in Nevada, Iowa. The facility is expected to be completed in mid-2014, and this $200 million facility will be among the first and largest commercial-scale cellulosic bio-refineries in the world. Geringhoff will be working closely with Dupont this year by supplying a 12 row Horizon Elite SC for trials and data gathering. Geringhoff has a history of working with leaders in seed technology and look forward to continued success in that regard.

The Horizon Elite SC is readily available now in 8 row configurations, and on a prototype basis in 12 row configurations. If you are interested in running one of these machines for any trials or for your own farming operations, please call Geringhoff’s National Sales Manager Bill Howard at 765-729-5108 to discuss the possibilities.

To share your Elite experience, please [email protected]

OFFICIAL APPARELArriving July, 2013

Available Exclusively at Geringhoff.com

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There is no better way to get a feel for Geringhoff’s legendary quality than to see it in person. Geringhoff attends industry leading farm shows in over 20 states, so chances are there is a show near you. Stop by and speak with our knowledgeable sales team and Geringhoff service reps.

Wisconsin Farm Tech July 9 - 11 Dallas, WIFarmfest August 6-8 Redwood Falls, MNEmpire Farm Days August 6-8 Seneca Falls, NYAg Progress Days August 13-15 State College, PADakotafest August 20-22 Mitchell, SDFarm Progress Show August 27-29 Decatur, ILHusker Harvest Days September 10-12 Grand Island, NEBig Iron September 10-12 West Fargo, NDOhio Farm Science September 17-19 London, OH

Geringhoff Farm Show Schedule

Finally. A chance for your family toput money IN your wallet.Enter the Geringhoff Owner’s Club Photo Contest and you could earn cold hard cash.

STEP 1. TAKE A PICTURETake a high resolution photo of you and/oryour family with your Geringhoff corn head.

STEP 2. TALK ABOUT ITWrite about your Geringhoff experience in 75-100 words.

STEP 3. SHARE ITEmail: [email protected]: upload your photo to the Official Geringhoff Facebook page.Twitter: Tweet us your picture @Geringhoff

The top 6 photos will be chosen, with the winnerreceiving $1,000. 2nd place is worth $750 andrunner ups netting $250 each. All entries must be submitted by Nov. 15th, 2013. 2012 Winners, The Runyon Family

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Extended Coverage Now Available for Geringhoff Corn Heads.

Harvest Guard covers repair and replacement of defective Geringhoff materials, components and workmanship after the Geringhoff Limited Warranty has expired. Harvest Guard coverage lasts until the 60th month after the machine’s in-service date. Harvest Guard increases revenue stream, allows heads to sell at a higher resale value, and gives customers greater satisfaction and peace of mind with their machine. This Coverage includes (and is not limited to) key features such as:

1. Row unit gearboxes2. Plastic components3. Frame materials & weldments4. PTO shafts and hydraulic cylinders

5. Hydraulic systems6. Drive chains7. Augers8. Bearings

1. Register Machine at HarvestGuard.com

2. Choose Payment Method - (online with credit card or an invoice by mail)

3. Submit Payment

3 Easy StepsOne Minute Sign-Up Time

www.HarvestGuard.com425-615-6101 • [email protected]