One thing has been constant since the first Farm Progress Show debuted in 1953: You can always find new tillage tools on display lots and operating in the field during demonstrations. In the ’50s, the new products were primarily moldboard plows from companies like John Deere, International, Oliver, Case, Allis-Chalmers and more.

Today you won’t find moldboard plows, nor will you find all but one of those original company names from the 1953 show. But you will find a large variety of new tillage tools every time you go to the show.

Sometimes the names are ones you never heard of before. It may be a tool made overseas and imported for sale in the U.S. Or it may be a company with a division in the U.S. making tools for this market. And you will find a greater variety of tillage tools than you would have found more than 60 years ago. There are vertical-tillage tools, strip-till rigs, field cultivators, soil finishers, chisel plows — and yes, there are still disks.

However, the disks come with bigger blades and much heavier frames than those of days gone by. And even the disks are often equipped with some kind of finishing unit on the rear, whether it’s a rolling basket or harrow-type finishing unit. 

It’s safe to say that if you spend time at a farm show today, you can find a tillage tool that fits the needs of your soil types and your management system. Companies continue to bring out new. Sometimes it’s a beefed-up frame. Or maybe it’s bearings that don’t have to be greased on disk gangs, preventing you from crawling around sharp blades trying to grease the bearings on the holders that position them on the tool.

Be sure to use the contact information provided to follow up with the companies who make products that appeal to you the most. Check the following pages for the new tillage tools.

New heavy-duty, maintenance-free chisel plow
Great Plains Manufacturing introduces the Ultra-Chisel — a durable, low-maintenance chisel plow. It provides horizontal fracture to fit both vertical and conventional tillage markets. Available in 9- or 12-inch spacing, with optional 12- or 16-inch-wide sweeps to undercut weeds while minimizing surface disturbance. For more information, contact Great Plains Manufacturing, Salina, Kan., at 800-270-9302 or greatplainsag.com.

Multitask with new tandem-disk harrow
Do primary tillage in heavy residue, and secondary tillage and seedbed preparation with the same implement — the new 6200 Series Tandem Disc Harrow. Available in models from 12 to 50 feet wide. For more information, contact Landoll Corp., Marysville, Kan., at 785-738-6613 or visit landoll.com.

Till an’ Pak prepares seedbed
The T.G. Schmeiser Till an’ Pak breaks clods and mulches the soil for perfect ground preparation. It is designed to work with a heavy tillage implement or fertilizer spreader. Base list price is $31,000 for a 30-foot model. For more information, see T.G. Schmeiser Co., Fresno, Calif., at 559-268-8128 or tgschmeiser.com.

New rolling harrow
Unverferth Manufacturing’s new 1245D Rolling Harrow Soil Conditioner combines a front rolling basket and rear drum for increased soil firming at conventional operating speeds. Base list price is $23,965 for a 30-foot model. For additional information, contact Unverferth Manufacturing, Kalida, Ohio, at 419-532-3121 or unverferth.com.

Lister cultivator
Great Plains Manufacturing introduces the LC40 Lister Cultivator. It has a stack-fold toolbar with parallel linkage row units that can be configured to 30-, 36-, 38- and 40-inch row spacings. For more information, contact Great Plains Manufacturing, Salina, Kan., at 800-270-9302 or see greatplainsag.com.

Ripping up residue
Deep, intensive tillage. That is what the new Terrano MT21 does for farmers. This new tillage tool goes deep — up to 14 inches. It is for farmers wanting to knock down cornstalks fast. While the front disks rip through the residue, the roller on the back creates a smooth ground cover, ready for a spring seedbed. For more information, contact Horsch, Mapleton, N.D., at 855-446-7724 or visit horsch.com.

Managing residue
Horsch's high-speed compact disk gets a boot with the Joker RT40. It offers a single-pass seedbed preparation tool in no-till or minimum-till operations. It combines tillage depth with mixing of soil and residue. It comes in wider width (40 feet) with allows farmers to cover more acres with higher-horsepower tractors. Its five-fold design contours to uneven field conditions, yet is compact to 15 feet, 8 inches, for highway travel. For more information contact Horsch, Mapleton, ND, at 855-446-7724 or visit horsch.com.

Big blades tackle residue
One of the newest additions to Lemken’s series of compact disk harrows, the Rubin 12 can operate in all kinds of soil conditions. With its larger, symmetrically arranged, concave disks measuring up to 29 inches, the Rubin 12 is designed to take on substantial crop residue with ease. Combined with a large array of rollers, the units provide growers with optimal leveling ability. You can learn more by calling 701-630-9154 or visit northamerica.lemken.com.

Individually mounted disks cover rough terrain
The Heliodor 9 from Lemken is a compact disk harrow with two rows of 19-inch blade disks, individually mounted to leaf springs. Providing a uniform cultivation depth, the system will allow individual disks to ride over stones on uneven terrain. The Heliodor works for seedbed preparation in conventional and minimum-tillage situations. The units are available in several working widths that suit every situation. Get more information by calling 701-630-9154 or visit northamerica.lemken.com.

Disk harrow offers high efficiency
The Amazone Catros+  12003-2TS Series of trailed compact disk harrow implements are ready for problem-free higher operational speeds. The concave disks offer high durability with low wear and follow the contour of the ground. The disks have smooth rims that are ideal for precise, extremely shallow tillage that intensively mixes stubble. The unit is divided into four frame segments that all have a floating supported suspension. You can learn more at amazone.net.

High-speed disk
Consider the Admiral from Maschio if you’re looking for a heavy-duty disk you can operate at high speeds. It features aggressive, notched 24-inch disk blades with an overall spacing of 20 inches. It’s designed to slice and size residue for rapid deterioration. The disks are shaped to turn the soil and encourage bacterial action, leading to quicker residue breakdown. The Admiral 850 model features a 28-foot cutting width and a 15-foot transport width. Headquarters for Maschio Gasparado North America Inc. are in DeWitt, Iowa. Call 563-659-6400 or visit maschio.us.