In 1828, Nicholas Heil came to America to become a farmer. In order to realize his dream, he had to work as an indentured servant for seven years after his arrival, pay his travel expenses and start a life. In 1839, Nicholas finally achieved his goal of being able to farm in America. Nicholas’ experience and example inspired subsequent generations of the Heil family.
After six generations, Austin Heil and his father Ashley now farm the same land in Hardin County where Nicholas first farmed in 1839. Heil’s farm grows soybeans, corn and hay on just over 400 acres, as well as custom planting and harvesting. “Our soil types are very diverse. Our fields are all in the same field end to end, from heavy clay to loam to sand. When it comes to watersheds, some of our farms are It flows south to the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. Our other farms flow north to the Blanchard River and ultimately Lake Erie,” Heil said. “As the H2Ohio program has expanded, we have been able to enroll our acres in those programs, which has allowed us to try some new things.”
Agricultural techniques have evolved dramatically since the mid-1800s, when Nicholas first tilled the soil in Hardin County. In just the past decade, the changes have been dramatic. “My father installed a sensor 1 in the planter to monitor seed fall. About 10 years ago, we introduced new technology and started the transition that led us to where we are today.” says Heil. Heil currently uses an autosteering system for guidance and uses Precision Planting 20/20 SeedSense technology to help adjust down pressure and seed depth without causing unnecessary compaction. Alongside the farm, Oisin works for Case New Holland (CNH), providing precision farming support to his network of North American dealers.
Considering the speed of change happening in the industry, deciding where to start in the agricultural technology space can be difficult. “I’m happy to be able to use our farm as an example. You can also try wearing both the farmer hat and the CNH hat. I told my dad why we do things the way we do. We started by asking,” Heil said. “Our two most expensive inputs (seeds and fertilizers) can be better monitored using technology. It starts with getting the right fertility levels in the field and managing them. If the soil fertility is not adequate, the seeds will not reach their full potential. Once fertility is checked, it is time to look at the seeds. If the seeds are not evenly and consistently placed, or If your seed rate is too high or too low, you are not setting the bar high for success.”
“To measure our operations and look for areas for improvement, we started by installing a 20/20 monitor on an old 5100 White 6-row planter. This allowed us to see what was actually going on behind the planter. It helped us measure what we were doing to understand who we were and what we were doing to gain insight into where we needed to change,” Heil said.
“When using precision farming technology, it doesn’t matter what color the earth is on the tractor or what color the paint on the machine is. The important thing when it comes to technology is finding a trusted advisor. Conversations with good trusted advisors. is worth more than its weight in gold,” Heil said. “A good advisor can help you put pencil to paper and decide what makes sense. Even a small farm can benefit on its own with the right technology. can.”
Combining technology and machinery to solve problems is something farmers have been working on for years. Many of the solutions to farm problems were found in the workshop using second-hand equipment, cutting torches, welding machines, and parts from other machines. The same goes for Heil Farm. Austin wanted to be able to band nutrients into his fields, so with help from the H2Ohio Foundation he built an eight-row bander. They used an old John Deere 7000 planter frame, added some dry he boxes, took parts from several other machines, and also incorporated technology from an old planter that had been converted to an electric drive. “We have a hydraulic drive and rate controller from an old John Deere planter,” Heil said. “Using this and a prescription map from an agricultural retailer, you can participate in the H2Ohio program and secure the fertilizer with a band 4 inches below the ground surface and 3 inches from where you plant the seeds. can.”
The Heils also made their own soybean planters. They took an old 6-row White 5100 planter that was in the back corner of the barn and combined it with another 6-row White 5100 planter from a friend to convert it into a narrow row soybean planter. “This planter saves us almost half a pallet of soybean seeds each year compared to using a drill,” says Heil. “We now have bean planters that can separate the seeds individually, allowing you to save seed while still getting better standing and a better yield.”
Looking to the future, Heil is excited to collect more data. “Our planters are equipped with Smart Farmer, which takes planting data from CEC and collected organic matter and soil sample data and combines it with Farm TRX yield monitoring data from the combine to create a more informed plant. Now you can make decisions that move things forward and take control.”
