Hand picking and the use of animals for harvesting did not have the complexities of the harvester equipment we use today. Making the task easier has made it necessary for harvester manufacturers education and training for those who use their machines. This education comes in a variety of ways and not from a typical school atmosphere.

Manufacturers of equipment often keep up with educating their customers through customer service. Most often this is to a supplier or retailer, who then passes the information on to the end user. Choosing to excel in customer service fosters trusted working relationships. The knowledge provided to customers gives them assurance in the product as well as in the hands that made it. Learn about farm harvester equipment from:

1. Harvester manufacturers website information,

2. Contacting the harvester manufacturers through E-mail or telephone,

3. Obtain agricultural harvester owners manuals,

4. Ask a factory trained technician for assistance

Action Steps
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Learn how to use equipment from combine harvester manufacturers

Someone buying a new piece of equipment, even if they have used a combine harvester before, needs to know the specifics of the new harvester. Operation of equipment varies by manufacturer and as new technology emerges. Beginners especially need to read owners manuals and familiarize themselves with how the equipment works.

I recommend: Binder Books supplies manuals for the farming equipment you need to learn about. Bill Lund's website for the The Geiger Lund Selective Asparagus Harvester with instructions, photos and an instructional video. Python Manufacturing supplies an array of information on each harvester they distribute.

Learn how to fix your farm harvester equipment

If the equipment warranty has run out and hiring a technician is not an option, repair manuals can help in teaching how to fix broken equipment. Product specifications greatly help when a repair is necessary. Specs supply information on parts and equipment and machine sizes, which is helpful in determining the needed parts for repairs. Information about harvester manufacturers recommendations for repair can often be found on their websites or via a telephone call or E-mail inquiry.

I recommend: Preet Agro Industries provides a listing of specs for their equipment. John Deere has a lot of troubleshooting and repair information on their website, as well as technical publications for further information. The Central Farm Machinery Training and Testing Institute is one of the few places a person can go to to attend a course to learn how to repair and maintain harvesting equipment.

Learn how to stay safe around your harvester equipment

Agricultural harvesters are dangerous pieces of equipment, even for those who have worked with them their entire lives. A conscious effort must be made to pay close attention while working with the machinery. Many farmers and equipment users have been injured because they were not aware of simple safety awareness steps.

I recommend: At Libraries and Directories, one can find a selection of trainings focused on farm equipment safety for a variety of different pieces of machinery. Health and Safety Executive shares specifics on combine harvester equipment safety. Remain aware of the hazards of the equipment with this lesson from the National Ag Safety Database.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  For your safety, never attempt to adjust or repair harvester equipment while it is running.

Agricultural harvesters are an integral part of any farming operation. Just as it’s important to plant the crop efficiently, a farmer needs the right harvester equipment to get the crop out of the field and to market. Harvester manufacturers produce a wide range of harvester equipment for farms because they know every region of the country produces different crops.

And just as there are a wide variety of crop harvesters, there are often a number of models of any farm harvester equipment from which to choose. Harvester manufacturers offer brand new models with all the new bells and whistles. But you can also find plenty of older, used agricultural harvester models that often work just as well.

No matter what kind of farm harvester equipment you need, there are some things you need to look for:

1. The harvester manufacturers should offer a product that has a long life expectancy.

2. The farm harvester equipment should be easy to operate and maintain.

3. The agricultural harvester should have safety features in place that make it safe to operate.

Action Steps
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Choose farm harvester equipment for your small grains

Combine harvester manufacturers produce many types of combines for corn and soybeans, the two most common small grains. Some corn harvester manufacturers create two types of heads for their harvester equipment. One head just takes the corn from the stalk and leaves the corn on the cob. The more popular head shells the corn from the cob as part of the harvesting process. Many of the combines can also be set to harvest wheat and oats and other smaller grains.

I recommend: Deere & Company is among the leading corn harvester manufacturers, and offers both lines of corn heads, as well as other types of combines. TractorHouse.com can help you find a used small grain harvester to harvest either your corn or bean crop.

Select nut harvester equipment

Whether you're looking for peanut harvesting equipment or something to harvest nuts from your trees, you can find exactly the right nut harvesting equipment. Some nut harvesters must dig the product, while others must shake it from the tree and sweep it up off the ground.

I recommend: Southern Nut `n Tree offers new and used nut harvester equipment from leading pecan and almond harvester manufacturers. Midland Tractor also offers a selection of new and used nut harvester equipment.

Find harvester equipment for your other crops

With the wide variety of harvester equipment on the market, you are sure to find just the right harvester for your needs. Each specialty crop has its own harvester equipment.

I recommend: Case IH offers cotton pickers that make the task of cleaning cotton a simple one. Taylor Manufacturing, Inc. offers a line of tobacco harvesting equipment.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  No matter what type of harvester equipment you're looking for, make sure the combine can separate the chaff from the grain. Because you get less pay for any weed seed or foreign material in your product when you sell it, you want to be able to sell the cleanest grain possible so you can get the highest price possible.

Harvester manufacturers key terms can help you understand the type of machine you need for your fields. Since man first tilled the earth, he has been searching a way to mechanize the physical labor, and the search has been particularly fruitful. With equipment from harvester manufacturers, you can separate the grain from the stalk and head, gather crop from the field, cut stalks and stack your crop. You can use a harvester machine to harvest hay, tobacco, nuts, cotton or fruit crops.

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Head or header

The reaping part of the combine, the one that cuts and gathers stalks, is the head, or header. Manufacturers design the head, usually located at the front of the harvesting machine, to harvest a particular crop. For example, manufacturers may sell a corn head, grain head or a head adapted to some other type of crop like sunflowers.

I recommend: For pictures and descriptions of corn and grain heads, go to Deere & Company. You can select different types of heads by using its menu.

Separator

The threshing machine part of the combine is the separator, or the separating system. The separator includes the part of the machine that takes the grain out of the head or from the cob and performs the winnowing process of cleaning the unwanted chaff and straw from the grain. Harvester manufacturers usually sell the separator separately from the head.

I recommend: CLASS of America offers an illustration detailing how the threshing process works.

Hydro

Most harvesters use a hydrostatic drive system that enables the operator to vary ground speed to meet harvest conditions without varying the engine speed, which would also effect the efficiency of the separator. Harvester manufacturers advertise the hydrostatic system by simply stating 'hydro' in their blurbs.

I recommend: Integrated Publishing explains the principal of hydrostatic drives. The explanation includes a labeled diagram and shows the advantages of such a system.

Windrower

Another machine that harvester manufacturers sell is a windrower or swather. Windrowers gather the crop and pile it in a continuous row so a baler or combine can gather it. You can use it to harvest hay and small grain crops or as a way to hasten the drying of the crop. You can also windrow bean and nut crops.

I recommend: Equipment Locator offers pictures and descriptions of typical windrowers.

Module

Some harvesters such as those used for cotton or hay put the crop into bales. Harvest manufacturers may refer to these as modules.

I recommend: Think Quest pictures a cotton module that is the final product of a cotton harvester. CNH America shows a cotton picker at work producing cotton modules.

PTO

PTO is the abbreviation harvester manufacturers use for power take off. The PTO allows power to transfer from the tractor's engine to a harvester towed by the tractor.

I recommend: National Ag Safety Database gives you a close up drawing of a PTO shaft running from tractor to implement and goes into the use and safety issues of a PTO.

Harvester manufactures make equipment that is essential to a functioning ag industry. Not only is the equipment costly, it is also specialized to harvest specific crops. Whether it plucks corn, peanuts, tobacco or nuts, you must find the right harvester for your job and keep in in good working order, so it doesn't spoil your product.

Harvester manufacturers usually make other types of farm equipment, as well. As such, your search for harvester news will probably lead you to information on tillers and spreaders. You can get harvester manufacturers news and trends from the following sources:

1. You can find information about new offerings, recalls and safety information straight from the harvester manufacturers themselves.

2. Trade groups for farm equipment manufacturers have information for both farmers and equipment manufacturers.

3. Farm equipment shows and expos highlight the latest in harvesting technology.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

To learn more about harvester equipment for farms, go straight to the manufacturer

Though you can't expect to get unbiased information about harvester manufacturers from the manufacturers themselves, you can learn about new product offerings, recalls, safety notices and more efficient ways to use the equipment you already own.

I recommend: John Deere publishes a daily news feed of happenings in the ag equipment world. Massey Ferguson, a harvester manufacturer, has an archive of press releases that announce new products, recalls and updates. Case IH also has a feed of new equipment information and innovations. For a long list of farm manufacturer links, try the list at GrainFarmer.com to find news and trends on the manufacturer of your equipment.

Check out trade groups for companies that make farm harvester equipment

Farm equipment trade groups are a one-stop place to get information on tobacco harvesting equipment, peanut harvesting equipment and corn harvester manufacturers -- really, just about every major harvester manufacturer in the United States is represented by one of a handful of trade organizations. You can find information geared to equipment makers, and the farmers who use the equipment.

I recommend: The Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association publishes a newsletter, annual directory, product listing and daily Informa Report issued from Washington, D.C. The Association of Equipment Manufacturers hosts the Ag Equipment Form, a place where leading manufacturers can meet to discuss changing fuel needs and industry growth strategies.

Get agricultural harvesters information geared to dealers and corporate buyers

Harvester dealers and those in charge of buying harvester equipment need to stay on top of the latest technologies and demand climate for farm equipment -- it's their job. For these groups, as well as farmers who are curious about what's new, there are farm equipment trade shows and expos. There are also print publications that follow the equipment manufacturing world.

I recommend: Farm Equipment, from Lessiter Publications, highlights new harvester products and reports on issues facing harvester and equipment dealers. The World Ag Expo is an enormous show that features over 1,600 exhibitors, including harvester manufacturers. The National Farm Machinery Show features a wide range of products of interest to ag business.