With three units in the country prepared for seeding this season interest in the Canadian made Pillar disc seeder is is on the rise.
The first machine, imported by Dubbo cropper Tom Harvey before seeding last year, has now been joined by a machine in Esperance and another on Mr Harvey’s neighbour’s property.
For others wanting a look over the fence, a demonstration day is planned for Tuesday 21 February near Dubbo.
Mr Harvey said Pillar company president, Dick Friesen, and son Mike, would be at the demonstration.
“A neighbour of mine is just finishing putting together a 40 foot model and plumbing up a new air cart behind it,” Mr Harvey said.
“We are just going to put it in the paddock to show how the machine works, and show anyone who happens to attend what sort of seed placement you can achieve.
The Pillar is a double shoot, single disc design with toolbars controlled on a parallel lifting sub-frame which raise or lowers the gangs of contour following disc openers, while the main frame maintains position.
The design is meant to provide excellent trash clearance and address hairpinning in the seedbed slot as well as provide banded seed and fertiliser placement.
The disc is set at a compound angle with a uniquely positioned scraper designed to move residue and create a seed bed shelf.
“I sowed all my crop with a Pillar last year and it did a superb job in excellent sowing conditions – nonetheless it was sensational,” Mr Harvey said.
He said he was confident the machine would work just as well this season in even heavier stubble.
“We are confident in most areas,” he said.
“But I also don’t want to be going over ground multiple time slashing or mulching.
“We sowed canola into a 5 - 6 tonne stubble last year that cattle had knocked over and it went through that superbly,” Mr Harvey said.
“I think that’s why my neighbour has bought one because he’s looked over the fence and seen the germination and how fast it came up.”
Having the Canadian crew back in town has allowed them to run their eyes over Mr Harvey’s machine and a make a few tweaks to suit his program.
Mr Harvey said the Esperance farmer had been exploring the Pillar for some time and flew east to check out Mr Harvey’s machine in the flesh.
“He has been interested for all the same reasons I was residue and seed placement,” Mr Harvey said.
“I support it because I like what it does in my farming system and that mightn't necessarily suit other blokes, so they can have a look and make up their own mind.”.
For more information call Tom Harvey on 0428 972 277.
The story Pillar plans Dubbo demo day first appeared on Farm Online.
