One of the most catastrophic events that can occur on your cotton farm is a sudden fire. Because it is a very dry and flammable material, cotton is extremely sensitive to heat and ignites easily, which can lead to complete destruction of cotton fields, farm property and expensive cotton picking machinery in the event of a fire.
Fires involving cotton harvester parts are an unfortunate reality for farmers around the world, but are also easily avoided. To prevent fires from destroying your next cotton harvest and endangering the lives of you and your employees, exercise caution and use these tips to keep your cotton farm safe.
Implement thorough fire prevention methods
The easiest way to avoid large-scale cotton picker fires is to implement routine methods for fire prevention. The first thing you should do is clean all cotton harvester parts thoroughly on a routine schedule. Debris is known to build up on parts such as spindles. The lint, seed and oil from cotton crops can act as fuel if friction causes a spark on your machine. Cleaning your parts will not only help prevent fires, but can extend the longevity of your equipment.
Additionally, inspect the bearings on your machines every day to identify signs of overheating or looseness, as these can ignite fires. If you do identify a problematic part, replace it immediately.
Finally, keep the baskets of your cotton harvester clear. Some cotton farmers are hesitant to clear baskets due to the loss of some crop; however, uncleared baskets provide additional fuel for fires and can also obstruct the view of hydraulic hoses and fuel lines, making you unable to detect a fire early on in the event that one occurs.
Be prepared for the worst during harvest
After a routine cleaning and inspection of your cotton harvester parts is complete, you should still continue to exercise caution while harvesting your crop. Be careful to avoid rocks or other debris on the ground that might become lodged in picking units and cause sparks when driven over.
Although you hopefully will not need them, always equip your harvester with fire extinguishers to put out a fire while it is still manageable. Additionally, make sure you have a radio or cell phone available on the machine to communicate with others in the event of a blaze.
While harvesting, always remain aware of any signs of fire. The smell of burning cotton is very distinct and is often an initial giveaway to the appearance of a fire. To prepare, burn a small amount of cotton to become familiar with the scent so you can recognize it later if need be.
Choose Certi-Pik, USA for reliable cotton harvester parts
Certainly, using top-quality replacement parts for your cotton harvester can assist in reducing the risk of fire during harvest season. For a wide selection of manufactured and fabricated cotton harvester parts, call Certi-Pik, USA. We also offer a broad list of quality specialty items and sheet metal parts for rebuilding picker units. For more than 30 years, we’ve served customers around the world with our top-quality products and competitive prices. Call today!
Farming is a way of life for some, while others rely on farmers and their crops for necessities like food to eat and materials to manufacture goods. The farming industry is ever evolving, especially the machinery used and methods employed, making crop harvesting less labor-intensive for some farmers and quicker and more efficient for others. Therefore, machines are not only used for cultivating acres of land, but for harvesting as well.
One such harvest method that has evolved over the years is cotton picking. The manual harvesting of cotton as performed in years past was physically painstaking and labor-intensive, making modern cotton picking technology something to admire and appreciate. Let’s take a look at a brief history of cotton pickers and the advancement of cotton harvester parts.
Early harvesting technology (1930s and 1940s)
All cotton harvests prior to the 1930s were performed by hand, and the product hand-carried in containers. It wasn’t until the late 1930s that the first cotton harvester prototype, labeled a Harvesting Locomotive, was created by John Rust. It seemed like he had found a solution to cotton harvesting. Unfortunately, the prototype was expensive and broke down easily.
In the 1940s, Rust’s cotton harvesting locomotive was redesigned with major improvements. The new machine was revealed to feature cotton picker spindles and a part that would later turn into doffers. This innovative design reduced the amount of labor needed during harvest; however, it was quickly discovered that it also degraded the cotton. Further improvement was needed.
New ideas begin to emerge (1950s to 1980s)
The 1950s came around, and with them, another new and improved cotton picker. It now sported a reinforced steel frame and several rows of cotton picker spindles. This cotton picker had baskets specifically for catching and storing cotton, and not too long later, an operator’s cabin would be added along with further improvements.
John Deere came into the picture in the 1980s and transformed the cotton harvester into a fully functional piece of harvesting equipment. Mass production of John Deere’s improved models and parts enhancements commenced with quality and efficiency in mind. During this time, cotton picking production increased 85 to 95 percent.
Modern Day Cotton Pickers
John Deere is still the leading innovator in the cotton harvesting industry. From the introduction of the four-row cotton picker in the 1980s to the six-row picker in the 1990s, you can bet this opened the door for John Deere to make further improvements. In 2009, manual labor associated with picking cotton reduced dramatically thanks to innovative and high-quality harvester machine parts and components. This is why farmers should choose the right cotton harvesting machine for their needs to ensure many seasons of successful cotton crop picking.
For safety, harvesting efficiency and a good cotton harvest, it’s important to use the best equipment for the job. No matter the particular cotton harvester parts you need, it’s a sure bet that the team at Certi-Pik, USA either has it or can get it for you. Call us for more information or to hear about our parts inventory today!
In recent years, skip row farming of cotton crops has become more and more popular with cotton farmers across the country. Farmers have found that skip row planting may result in lower input costs for seed and technology with approximately even cotton yields over the years.
In order to maximize the efficiency and accuracy of your skip row cotton farming techniques, you need to ensure that your cotton harvester parts are in great condition to keep your machinery up and running. If you’ve never heard of or considered skip row farming for your harvesting business, do not worry; the professionals at Certi-Pik, USA have created this short guide to help you better understand the technique, its benefits and the necessity of quality cotton harvester parts for the technique’s smooth operations.
What is skip row planting?
In most cotton fields, cotton seed is planted in thick rows of 38 to 40 inches in width. These rows are often placed right next to each other, creating a solid field of cotton crops. The technique known as skip row planting involves planting rows of cotton that are thinner—typically 30 inches in width and skipping a row after every two rows. This is known as a 2:1 skip row formation.
Because the technique requires skipping rows, farmers should plant their cotton seed closer together in the rows to achieve similar yields each year. Special care should also be taken to keep skipped rows as free of weeds as possible while the cotton crops are growing.
Benefits of skip row planting
Although the benefits of skip row planting have been under some slight debate, some farmers have claimed that the technique helps them decrease input costs for seed and machinery. Depending on the type of equipment farmers have, they also may be able to cut down on the time required to plant seed.
Skip row farming has also been known to produce larger and more fruitful cotton crops because the crops have more room to grow with a skip row next to them. The technique is said to increase light penetration before canopy closure, as well, due to the additional spacing.
Why quality cotton harvester parts are important
Using machinery that is equipped with reliable cotton harvester parts is an important part of all cotton farming practices, but quality parts are even more important in skip row farming. Farmers who are interested in converting their machines from standard to skip row picking need to use quality parts to make those transitions.
Additionally, using quality harvester parts will further aid farmers in reducing input and harvesting costs, due to the lower amount of downtime and replacement necessary.
Choose us for top-quality cotton harvester parts
Do you use the skip row farming technique for your cotton harvest? Contact Certi-Pik, USA for your supply of quality cotton harvester parts. We manufacture and supply quality parts to keep your cotton picker running smoothly. We offer parts for a wide range of models, including specialty items at competitive prices. Contact us to see what we can do to help your business!
Got bugs? Few things are worse than putting time and effort into planting and maintaining your cotton crops, only to have them be overrun and ruined by pests. There are numerous cotton crop pests, each bringing their own type of damage to your crop. In order to save your cotton crops, you need to eradicate the insects and prevent them from returning next season.
Pests not only damage your crops, but also put useless wear and tear on your machine and cotton harvester parts, resulting in a damaged crop. Here are our top 10 tips to help you rid your cotton crops of pests:
Crop monitoring: In order to maintain proper pest management, you should make sure to monitor and scout the field routinely. This will help you gather the most reliable information on the type of pests, the damage levels and pest population density, so that you can make the most informed decisions on pest management in the future.
Cotton-free periods: It’s recommended that you only plant cotton crops one time during the year. Double cropping might allow pest populations to carry over and grow, since they will have access to a continuous food supply.
Crop rotation: Similarly, crop rotation should be utilized after a cotton crop is harvested. Planting less favorable crops between cotton crops can help reduce the appearance of many typical cotton pests.
Selection of resistant varieties: Choosing to plant a pest-resistant or tolerant variety of cotton will help your crop tolerate a pest attack. Certain varieties are highly resistant to specific pests, so look into what kind of pests you experience most often to choose the best one.
Trap cropping: Trap cropping involves planting a small section of a preferred, or pest-attracting, crop near to the cotton crop as a trap. Once the pest is attracted to the crop and you identify signs of damage, the pest can be destroyed.
Proper crop spacing: Plant your cotton crops with enough space between them. Dense crops and close spacing can allow the faster multiplication and spread of pests.
Deep plowing: Plowing your fields deeply after harvesting can help to expose hibernating larvae and eggs of pests.
Crop residue destruction: After a harvest, effectively remove and destroy all residue of the cotton crop. Doing this will ensure that there is no carryover of the pest into the next cotton crop season.
Hand-picking and destroying: Hand-picking caterpillars and other adult larvae can help eliminate the potential development of insecticide resistance, as well as reduce a large future population of pests.
Pesticides: Pesticides or insecticides may be used to remove a given type of pest from your cotton crops. However, pesticides may cause pesticide-resistant pests and are not as sustainable as other approaches. Also consider botanical pesticides.
In order to properly remove and prevent pests from damaging your cotton crops this year, make sure to closely monitor your crops and use the tips provided. With proper care comes great crops!
Certi-Pik, USA is your one-stop shop for all your cotton harvester parts needs! For over 25 years, we’ve delivered quality cotton harvester parts to U.S. and international customers. Call us today!
There are many factors that determine cotton prices throughout the season, both directly and indirectly. With the help of a cotton harvester parts company, take a look at a couple of the factors that are sure to have an impact on prices this year.
Projections for production
Before each season, projections are made about what types of production the key players in the market expect to yield, with these numbers prone to fluctuate and adjust once the season begins and production gets underway. The expected weather during the growing season also plays a large role in these projections. For example, some areas in the Atlantic region of the United States are projected to see lower yields this year due to post-hurricane conditions, while other areas farther west are expected to have amenable growing seasons due to some early favorable weather.
Demand
As with any commodity that is offered in the worldwide marketplace, the demand will be a key determinant of market prices. If the global demand for cotton is up, there could be a call for increased exports from the U.S., as the quality of cotton that the U.S. crops are able to produce has been undisputedly the best available on the market for many years. World events can also have an effect on cotton’s global demand. One such world event that could lead to increased US exports is the reduction that is expected from two of the top three cotton producers in the world, China and India. With these countries expected to have fewer exports this season, there is a large gap in the market that U.S. farmers may be able to take advantage of. In fact, the American cotton industry is projected to support 86 percent of total exports this year, up from 72 percent at this time last year.
The cost and demand for other commodities could have a direct correlation as well. Crude oil is one such commodity whose price could directly impact cotton’s success. Gasoline is needed for the transportation of cotton from the farm to the gin, and then again when the cotton travels on to be exported, milled or stored. If the price of this oil is exceedingly high, it could manifest itself in the price of cotton due to high transportation costs. The importance of crude oil and its effects on prices could also manifest itself in a more indirect way. Some crude oil is converted into components that are used as oil-based raw material to create polyester. If the price of this oil goes down, polyester would then be cheaper to make, making polyester clothing more competitive in the marketplace, which could also have an effect on cotton prices.
Despite all of these complex factors, at the end of the day, all that farmers can control is their own land and production, and their readiness for the season. To make sure you are ready for each season, you will need suitable cotton harvester parts that are in good condition, and Certi-Pik, USA is ready to offer you the highest quality fabricated and manufactured parts for the top harvester brands. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you!
