I'll leave it at that question to get the discussion started.
So, are you folks ready to give up your outdoor work for a computer desk in a "cube"?
Geno
The desert is a true treasure for him who seeks refuge from men and the evil of men. In it is contentment In it is death and all you seek (Quoted from "The Bleeding of the Stone" Ibrahim Al-Koni)
wonder if it will detect a tree that fell out of the edge like we see around here. A 2ft diameter locust would pay hell on a bunch of tires and equipment
It says the tractor will stop if it detects rain and will start up again when weather permits.
That one made me laugh.
I wonder if it will detect a flat tire or wheel bearing out on whatever implement it's pulling?
Hell auto steer would be nice but we're still in the stone-age!
Heck, Sam, that's nothing new in the SoCal construction industry. More than three drops in a square foot and we used to roll 'em up!
I wonder when they'll come up with a robot roofer?
As for flat tires and wheel bearings.....
the robot maintenance mechanic is supposed to be working on those things at night, when the tractor's not harvesting in the dark with the fancy lights on.
When they come up with one that will pick strawberries, farm labor of the immigrant type will be in serious trouble.
Geno
The desert is a true treasure for him who seeks refuge from men and the evil of men. In it is contentment In it is death and all you seek (Quoted from "The Bleeding of the Stone" Ibrahim Al-Koni)
I guess I'm telling my age here, but I can remember when most farmers around here still had a pair of mules and used them to plow tobacco with. If you had a tractor that would pull 3 plows, it was considered a "big one". It's hard to realize just how high tech farming has become in my lifetime. But, despite all the technological advances, farmers are still at the mercy of the weather and the markets. So far, they haven't figured out how to guarantee you a profit.
I think it will happen in some areas for some jobs.
Midwest corn & soybean fields, plant/spray the inner sections then have farmer hop in and plant/spray the outer 2-3 passes.
we have hit the point in time when no one wants to work so we are forced to automate, still have to hire labor just now it's in the form of a computer specialist but hiring one computer specialist instead of two-four tractor drivers.
I think it will be like the robotic milking where it certainly isn't going to be the end all be all of human labor but is an expensive answer for some individuals
Geno, I had to laugh when it stated that the tractor would stop and resume motion when the weather cleared. Hell that could be 3-4 days later in the spring!
Hopefully it doesn't stop in a low spot....
The problem with all this precision, re-crop, super maximization is that farmers are basically producing themselves right out of a decent price.
Especially bad this year because lots of people (nationwide?) had good moisture. There are piles of grain literally on the ground next to fields around here.
The price of wheat is the same as it was in the 1970's and that is not accounting for inflation.
Luckily equipment doesn't cost much more than it did 40 years ago........
I can't imagine having a dedicated non drivable tractor.
It's not so much that I can't see a use for what they are doing in some cases, but to pay that kind of money for something that you can't climb inside of a drive it yourself, is just insane.
Geno, I had to laugh when it stated that the tractor would stop and resume motion when the weather cleared. Hell that could be 3-4 days later in the spring!
Hopefully it doesn't stop in a low spot....
The problem with all this precision, re-crop, super maximization is that farmers are basically producing themselves right out of a decent price.
Especially bad this year because lots of people (nationwide?) had good moisture. There are piles of grain literally on the ground next to fields around here.
The price of wheat is the same as it was in the 1970's and that is not accounting for inflation.
Luckily equipment doesn't cost much more than it did 40 years ago........
Sam,
I hope you got all your wheat sold before the price fell so hard.
Picturing the tractor stopping in a low spot brought a BIG smile to my face! Thanks for the morning humor.
All these modern "conveniences" have consequences, some unforeseen. The future will be fun to watch..............maybe?
BIG pile of wheat next to the elevators across the river from me. Haven't seen a barge get loaded for well over a week now. Wonder how that pile will hold up as we got a bit of moisture the other night and more is called for (80% chance) on Tues. I guess there's a way to sell it after the sprouting percentage gets too high, but with prices so low that seems like a real losing proposition.
Friend of mine was driving a truck from harvester to bins on the farm. Got laid off a week or two early due to the price drop. I was watching the signs in town and was shocked when I was up there last Mon and saw the prices had dropped so far. Ya'll have grown yourselves out of a banner season....... this year. He's hoping he can pick up some work when the lentils and garbanzos get harvested.
I hope you folks make out OK in this situation. Maybe get yourselves a self driving tractor so you can get a "real" job.
Geno
The desert is a true treasure for him who seeks refuge from men and the evil of men. In it is contentment In it is death and all you seek (Quoted from "The Bleeding of the Stone" Ibrahim Al-Koni)
Talked to two farming friends tonight, they're hoping to recoup any losses on wheat with the garbs and lentils, although one of them says his buddy harvested all his garbs but the buyer in Spokane didn't want them now.
They're also holding on to their wheat at these prices. One knows of a guy who sold some wheat last week and after discounts he got something in the mid 3 range. Not good,
Neither of them were at the pulling out hair stage, so farming goes on for now.
Have a nice fall season, I wanna see more pics of dead peasants, I mean pheasants.
The peasants might come in handy if the fancy self driving tractor breaks.
Geno
The desert is a true treasure for him who seeks refuge from men and the evil of men. In it is contentment In it is death and all you seek (Quoted from "The Bleeding of the Stone" Ibrahim Al-Koni)
