Tillage Tool Rebuilds Ridges In One Pass

Tillage Tool Rebuilds Ridges In One Pass TILLAGE EUIPMENT New Tools 27-3-28 It took four years of trial and error, but Don Ohlman and his son Kevin, Central City, Nebraska, have come up with what they feel is the ultimate ridge-till tool. "It's a one-pass tool that cuts and mixes residue into the soil as it rebuilds ridges," Kevin says. The implement, which they have trademarked as the "Row Wrangler"Ö, does several different operations at once. Up front, a six or eight-blade chopper sits over the ridge. As the chopper cuts crop residue at the ridge, 22-in. banded coulters slice through crop residue at the bottom of the furrow at a constant depth. Behind and to the side of the banded coulter are scalping discs that scalp the side of the ridge, eliminating weeds and rebuilding the ridge. Following those are ripper sweeps that help relieve soil compaction and further mixes crop residue and soil. At the back there's a mulcher which further mixes crop residue and firms the ridge for planting. All components are mounted on the toolbar using parallel linkages and down-pressure springs. The Ohlmans received a patent on the Row Wrangler and have been selling it for a year now. Final assembly of the units is done in the Ohlman shop, but they've contracted with outside suppliers for components. Current available sizes range from 4-row, 36 in. up to a 10-row, 30 in. Ohlman says each unit requires 20 to 25 hp, so a 150-hp tractor can pull a 6-row Row Wrangler. The list price ranges from $13,133 for the 4-row, 36-in. configuration to $30,633 for the 10-row, 30-in. machines. The Ohlmans are working with dealers but are also selling the machines direct. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Kevin or Don Ohlman, 313 "G" St., Central City, Neb. 68826 (ph 308 946-3263; email: crealty@cconline.net).

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