Corn Maze Planted By Variable Rate Precision Planter

Corn Maze Planted By Variable Rate Precision Planter FARM HOME recreation A 10-acre corn maze on Rader Family Farms near Normal Ill is thought to be the first one ever planted by a 24-row planter dropping seed as directed by a new GPS-guided precision placement system Jason Keiser an ag advisor for Jenner Precision had the maze programmed by Precision Planting to tell the planter exactly what to do The planter was equipped with a Precision vSet electric drive that controls each row Keiser says the 10-acre plot was planted at 20 000 seeds an acre in two directions to create an elaborate design featuring a windmill corn plants the sun farm buildings the Rader’s farm name and Beck’s the company supplying the seed Adam Rader says planting with the sophisticated system saves them money and creates a nicer looking maze They used less seed with prescription planting and don’t have the labor or machine cost to mow down standing corn to form the maze They still have weed control costs which are the same using either system Rader says using the planting system for the maze only required a second trip across the field something they wouldn’t do on an ordinary field They use the planting technology in their regular fields to plant at varying population rates based on soil types and fertility levels “Each row has infinite population control so it’s indeed presciption planting ” Rader says Rader Family Farms has been planting a maze since 2009 and normally hosts about 50 000 guests a year and more than 5 000 field trip students The maze is open from September 12 to October 31 Admission is $10 on weekdays and $12 on weekends The show site includes a 35-acre pumpkin patch a soybean pile tram rides a straw castle a large barnyard and several animals Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Rader Family Farms 1238 Ropp Rd Normal Ill 61761 ph 309 275-8765; www raderfamilyfarms com

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