We found plastic trays sold as floor protectors (available in two sizes) for under Christmas trees work great to cover our bin inlets when fans are not in operation. In the winter, they keep snow and sleet from freezing on the fan blades, which can cause fans to get out of balance and create premature failure. In the summer, they prevent insect activity under bin floors by disrupting warm airflow into that open area. The protectors also prevent wind from causing the free-wheeling fans undue wear year-round.

https://www.agriculture.com/machinery/all-around-the-farm/easy-inlet-bin-fan-covers

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If you need a ball on your tractor drawbar to move a trailer, especially in snowy or muddy conditions, here is a quick ball adapter I constructed. Find a piece of heavy-walled tubing that is large enough to slide over the tractor's drawbar. Cut it long enough to reach past the second hole on a straight drawbar. Weld shims on the inside of the tube to make it snug to the drawbar. Next, drill a hole through the tube aligned with the second hole in the drawbar. This will allow for a tractor hitch pin to secure the adapter to the drawbar.

https://www.agriculture.com/machinery/all-around-the-farm/ball-hitch-adapter-for-drawbar

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CarbonNOW hones in on improved soil fertility with its soil probiotics and is a viable option for farmers who may not meet the practice change requirements of other carbon market programs. About the program: Guaranteed $12 per acre with accruing performance bonuses No program fees Annual free soil testing Three to five years of historical management data required from farmers Four-year program cycle can be extended to 10 or more 1.32 million acres enrolled in the United States Continuous active enrollment Program Differentiators The program provides the financial benefit of paying 75% of the annual cash payment up front and the remaining 25% at the end of the year.

https://www.agriculture.com/crops/carbon-markets/carbonnow-by-locus-ag

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Have you ever needed an extra set of hands while welding or when tackling an odd job? To solve the problem, I created a makeshift vice by welding two 1×1-inch angle irons (8 to 10 inches long) to a 6-inch C-clamp. It is lightweight, portable, and extremely handy. - Jim Bechtold, Rock City, Illinois Read more about For related content and insights from industry experts, sign up for Successful Farming newsletters. Sign up

https://www.agriculture.com/machinery/all-around-the-farm/extra-hand-while-welding

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Harold Fratzke, Cottonwood, Minnesota, has been contributing ideas to All Around the Farm for over 40 years. His most recent submission came about because Fratzke was tired of having to go to the shop when he needed something pressed. 'I decided to make a device that was portable and useful,' he says. Fratzke built a hydraulic press using scraps from around the shop. The uprights are made with 2×2-inch square tubing. The top and bottom are made using railroad irons. The top plate has a 2-inch hole cut in it to allow for pressing bearings, sprockets, and gears.

https://www.agriculture.com/machinery/all-around-the-farm/portable-hydraulic-press-for-in-field-use

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Growing your own grain for homemade goodies is very rewarding, but watch out for diseases that can ruin a good loaf of bread.

Julie Dawson is a horticulture professor at the University of Wisconsin. She says if youre planting a small grain crop for food, do not follow corn. There are diseases that...

https://www.agriculture.com/podcast/living-the-country-life-radio/small-grain-diseases

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