Tom
Appearances
Farm4Profit Podcast
Mastering Market Volatility: Ever.Ag’s Approach to Agricultural Risk Management
You have green also. I've got to keep our deer guys happy. Mine was green. Mine was green. I will say that. Keep our deer guys happy. Match nicely. But, again, the product offering, that's a lot of fun because colors matter on the farm. It really does. The black has been the most popular lately just for resale value. It goes everywhere. Yeah, but we do a good job.
Farm4Profit Podcast
Mastering Market Volatility: Ever.Ag’s Approach to Agricultural Risk Management
Oh, that would be cool. That would be nice.
Farm4Profit Podcast
Mastering Market Volatility: Ever.Ag’s Approach to Agricultural Risk Management
So the neat thing about the dual auger is, especially when people have wet corn, it really helps get that out better. Also depends on when you get in, especially in Canada, some of these bigger guys use those. They don't have the same rules that we do down here. They can haul a lot more.
Farm4Profit Podcast
Mastering Market Volatility: Ever.Ag’s Approach to Agricultural Risk Management
So when we get to the 2,500 bushel cart, just filling those super bees, they call them, getting those things full. That, to me, is very important. As much grain as you can get in there. And also unload it quickly. When it's 1,000 bushel per minute to unload, that's a big difference. And, again, with all that control you're talking about with that joystick, you can get up there.
Farm4Profit Podcast
Mastering Market Volatility: Ever.Ag’s Approach to Agricultural Risk Management
And, I mean, we had a guy, I'm just going to go over a guy in Nebraska, and he had literally running four carts. There were 2,000 bushels. And they had nine X9 combines running. It was crazy. And these guys were running just full out, and they had tandem axle with steerable axles.
Farm4Profit Podcast
Mastering Market Volatility: Ever.Ag’s Approach to Agricultural Risk Management
And the reason they picked us over a competitor was every time they were turning in the field, their axles didn't turn as far, and they were literally breaking studs off, so breaking complete spindles off the front.
Farm4Profit Podcast
Mastering Market Volatility: Ever.Ag’s Approach to Agricultural Risk Management
After they had, just last year, these guys got to run it, just hearing their success and how much it was, I mean, the uptime, things like that, with that dual auger cart. You can see that front window. I know I'm sorry I'm pointing, but they have just a lot of little things. That was actually brought up by that keg thing like Tanner was talking about. People wanted better visibility.
Farm4Profit Podcast
Mastering Market Volatility: Ever.Ag’s Approach to Agricultural Risk Management
So it's just little things that people really can – I mean, just an easy use and we listen. And that was one of the things that I got to do also last year. That's how I ended up out there in Nebraska in different places was we had a field follow-up program. We literally went out and went to 50, I went to 50 different customers, asked them what they liked, 50.
Farm4Profit Podcast
Mastering Market Volatility: Ever.Ag’s Approach to Agricultural Risk Management
And it didn't matter if it was a loose bolt or a scratch. Hey, what do you, what on your cart did you like or not like? Kind of like what we did with Corey also at his farm. Just, just find out. And, We compile all that information. We took 22 of those things, like the top 22 things that were pretty common, and we actually got a lot of those implemented before this fall again.
Farm4Profit Podcast
Mastering Market Volatility: Ever.Ag’s Approach to Agricultural Risk Management
So we have just people dedicated. Again, we have a whole team in Illinois. That's all they do is build carts. And then on the backside of that, people don't always see. You have your engineers, your design engineers, your test engineers. They're constantly testing and trying new things. So that's what I get excited about is we can literally go right from the farmer, from the buddy seat,
Farm4Profit Podcast
Mastering Market Volatility: Ever.Ag’s Approach to Agricultural Risk Management
Go right back into that, we call it a war room. We go in there, talk as a group. Hey, this is what we're doing. And the ownership's like, let's do it. Like, if this is what the people want, let's do it. Because, again, at the end of the day, if you can keep your customers happy and providing things that no one else is willing to provide, that's what sets you apart. That's cool.
Farm4Profit Podcast
Mastering Market Volatility: Ever.Ag’s Approach to Agricultural Risk Management
And we also have a sump. And so a lot of other people, they have different ways that they get their grain out. But our cross auger comes up and then before it goes to the vertical auger, it actually goes down into a sump and it's not impeded by anything else. Some of our competition have the gearbox down there where the gearbox actually gets in the way of that grain transfer.
Farm4Profit Podcast
Mastering Market Volatility: Ever.Ag’s Approach to Agricultural Risk Management
Well, we literally have a sump that everything falls into and then takes the grain out cleanly. So that's why, again, we can get a thousand bushel a minute and be efficient at it. And we also have a 22-inch load and a 24-inch unload. And it's pretty exciting when everything runs right and those guys are like, I mean, the next truck, next truck.
Farm4Profit Podcast
Mastering Market Volatility: Ever.Ag’s Approach to Agricultural Risk Management
And just watch, like I say, those guys, especially with 9x9 running out there in the field, they are always, especially in the corn, they always are waiting for somebody. And they don't want to wait. So that's where you lose your efficiency.
Farm4Profit Podcast
Mastering Market Volatility: Ever.Ag’s Approach to Agricultural Risk Management
Yeah, it is. If not, then call me, too. If I can throw my phone number out, it's 515-480-2047. I live here in Iowa, but I travel all over. I mean, we've got some great airports with Iowa City and Des Moines. We end up just about anywhere.
Farm4Profit Podcast
Mastering Market Volatility: Ever.Ag’s Approach to Agricultural Risk Management
Yeah, they got rebates out now. So, yeah, we got some. Again, anything you can do to get a sale, that's what we're here for.
Farm4Profit Podcast
Mastering Market Volatility: Ever.Ag’s Approach to Agricultural Risk Management
Appreciate it.
Farm4Profit Podcast
Mastering Market Volatility: Ever.Ag’s Approach to Agricultural Risk Management
Thank you. Appreciate it.
Farm4Profit Podcast
Mastering Market Volatility: Ever.Ag’s Approach to Agricultural Risk Management
And multiple companies.
Farm4Profit Podcast
Mastering Market Volatility: Ever.Ag’s Approach to Agricultural Risk Management
It is. It really is. A lot of family owned companies and just like you guys, grassroots. And I really like that.
Farm4Profit Podcast
Mastering Market Volatility: Ever.Ag’s Approach to Agricultural Risk Management
My role is a product specialist for grain carts. So I literally support anybody that needs help with the demos, anything, any questions, resource. That's all I am is a resource. And it's a blast. You can't find a better job where all you have to do is worry about one product, know all the nuts and bolts on it and
Farm4Profit Podcast
Mastering Market Volatility: Ever.Ag’s Approach to Agricultural Risk Management
hydraulics you name it and it's also a grain cart so you don't got motor you don't got a lot of other things to worry about i mean a lot of people caught a box with an auger so it's a lot of fun to get out there and really show them where the return on investment is on a grain cart and how important it is and i know you guys are just talking about it like you gotta get the bushels out of the field and one of the most efficient ways to do that is a grain cart right
Farm4Profit Podcast
Mastering Market Volatility: Ever.Ag’s Approach to Agricultural Risk Management
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yep. So that's what I did. And then I was a territory manager and then took a promotion last June to now all I do is focus on grain carts. And I actually will be in Canada next week in Alberta doing some demos up there with their wheat. So it's been really interesting just learning all the different, you got millet and rice and you name it, Durham.
Farm4Profit Podcast
Mastering Market Volatility: Ever.Ag’s Approach to Agricultural Risk Management
I didn't know what that was, cereal rice. Like I learned a lot of stuff. I mean, it's like, In Iowa, you're used to corn and soy beans. That's about it. I mean, yeah, you get a little bit of wheat here and there and it's oats and different things, but nothing like when you get out and then you all of a sudden you get canola. And so you learn a lot quick. Right.
Farm4Profit Podcast
Mastering Market Volatility: Ever.Ag’s Approach to Agricultural Risk Management
Favorite part about the grain cart is especially when people have ideas. We work with a lot of different companies. Stein Seed, one of them, a local company, they had a very specific need on what they wanted and we build them a couple of custom grain carts. So I feel really good that
Farm4Profit Podcast
Mastering Market Volatility: Ever.Ag’s Approach to Agricultural Risk Management
When people have an idea, they bring it to you and we've had a relationship with them for years and find out what the needs are that are out there and conquer that need. One of my favorite features is that back door, that ground access door. We were the first, now three other companies will have it now at the Farm Progress Show you'll have in a few weeks. They'll have it also.
Farm4Profit Podcast
Mastering Market Volatility: Ever.Ag’s Approach to Agricultural Risk Management
But we were the first ones five years ago to bring out a door that you can literally get into that's chest level. It has a little ladder. You crawl right up in the cart. And the reason for that was 100% clean outs. People are changing varieties, doing different things. A lot of custom harvesters were going to literally the next field, so they literally could clean out 100% by getting in this door.
Farm4Profit Podcast
Mastering Market Volatility: Ever.Ag’s Approach to Agricultural Risk Management
The biggest thing you can get into them is getting back out of them. Some guys had injuries, wrist injuries or shoulder injuries, and that was the case with Stein Seed. And they said the safety was number one, and that was the one thing that they were some of the catalysts. That was a big reason why they bought our carts was so the guys could get into 100% clean outs and get out safely.
Farm4Profit Podcast
Mastering Market Volatility: Ever.Ag’s Approach to Agricultural Risk Management
And on our new DXT grain carts, we actually have a clean-out door that runs the entire length. So after you get in there, It's so nice that the doors, the entire length of the product, it's easy to get it out.
Farm4Profit Podcast
Mastering Market Volatility: Ever.Ag’s Approach to Agricultural Risk Management
Yeah, it drops. There's a handle on the back, and you can drop, and then literally 100% clean out. You can't get much simpler than that. Okay.
Farm4Profit Podcast
Mastering Market Volatility: Ever.Ag’s Approach to Agricultural Risk Management
So it's actually nice and secure in the back. So you literally have to go out and trip it. Like it's just not one of those things that's just going to open while you're going down the road.
Farm4Profit Podcast
Mastering Market Volatility: Ever.Ag’s Approach to Agricultural Risk Management
Yes, correct. Yep. Yep.
Farm4Profit Podcast
Mastering Market Volatility: Ever.Ag’s Approach to Agricultural Risk Management
And also, just to kind of tell on ourselves, but this is how you get better. We had the DXR, the last version that was five years ago, and now we have the new version out. We listened to our customers and we had almost the same kind of door, but it was very hard to get that to adjust. So after you do that literally a thousand times or a hundred times, things start to wear.
Farm4Profit Podcast
Mastering Market Volatility: Ever.Ag’s Approach to Agricultural Risk Management
Well, then we figured out, hey, Let's make that so we can adjust it better so then it has a tighter fit without having to buy kits, things like that. And, again, that's one thing I love about Brandt is that you take the time to listen, especially in a role like I am. We literally go see the farmers. I write this down, and I got three guys on speed dial engineers that, hey, guys, here's what I saw.
Farm4Profit Podcast
Mastering Market Volatility: Ever.Ag’s Approach to Agricultural Risk Management
What do you think? Is this worth something to go into and fix?
Farm4Profit Podcast
Mastering Market Volatility: Ever.Ag’s Approach to Agricultural Risk Management
trying to get grain from the field into a semi or into a wagon and out you just want things to be easy yep right as efficient as possible concept goes across all brands yeah but you were talking about before we started this that that's still something that brand's doing and you like to be able to take people to see it being built yes yeah so we got a we're literally building usa here so right here in hudson illinois i say here but it's a couple hours that way like i get excited because it is still usa brand and we build them in hudson illinois and
Farm4Profit Podcast
Mastering Market Volatility: Ever.Ag’s Approach to Agricultural Risk Management
Yeah, I welcome tours. So if people want to come, uh, let us know and we can get a tour lined up for me. If you're in that Bloomington normal area, Hudson's just a little town right beside there, but it's just right on the outskirts of Bloomington, uh, in Illinois. And you can literally see either the XT or the DXT. That's all they build there.
Farm4Profit Podcast
Mastering Market Volatility: Ever.Ag’s Approach to Agricultural Risk Management
So that whole factory is just dedicated to the grain carts. And so that's pretty exciting because a lot of plants have multiple things going on, which is fine, but that's one thing Brandt decided, even though they're, they are a Canadian company. they build all their grain carts there and export them. So we build all our own track carriages, things like that are all built in-house.
Farm4Profit Podcast
Mastering Market Volatility: Ever.Ag’s Approach to Agricultural Risk Management
Why do we do it there?
Farm4Profit Podcast
Mastering Market Volatility: Ever.Ag’s Approach to Agricultural Risk Management
Well, because the biggest thing is, is that we have so much need down here for the grain carts. I mean, you look at the ice states again, there's just so, I mean, I was even down in Arkansas and Mississippi, the rice down there was amazing. And we have a really good rice cart with the XT. And it's amazing when you put three or four different carts together and And rice is so abrasive.
Farm4Profit Podcast
Mastering Market Volatility: Ever.Ag’s Approach to Agricultural Risk Management
And when you see we have like an extra quarter-inch lip on our auger, when you see that extra auger or the extra flighting that we put on there, the hardening, you can tell the difference when you have carts lined up that are in people's – you go to a dealer and you see carts lined up. You can see after a season that does matter. Like the little things, the little attention to detail does matter.
Farm4Profit Podcast
Mastering Market Volatility: Ever.Ag’s Approach to Agricultural Risk Management
That's just a single auger. Okay.
Farm4Profit Podcast
Mastering Market Volatility: Ever.Ag’s Approach to Agricultural Risk Management
I should probably know this as a specialist. I do not know.
Farm4Profit Podcast
Mastering Market Volatility: Ever.Ag’s Approach to Agricultural Risk Management
It's usually nine foot in front of the hitch.
Farm4Profit Podcast
Mastering Market Volatility: Ever.Ag’s Approach to Agricultural Risk Management
And not only that, on that same stick you're talking about, on that auger, on that downspout, we actually have a light kit there that you can actually see the flow door. Where's that gate at? And especially with young operators, if you tell them, hey, only light up a couple lights, that just shows you if we can light up all the lights, that's when the flow gate's completely open.
Farm4Profit Podcast
Mastering Market Volatility: Ever.Ag’s Approach to Agricultural Risk Management
And then when it's closed, they're all off. And it's so much easier doing that than people, like you said, crank your neck back trying to find out where's that little indicator at. The slide, yeah. It's right there. Yeah.
Farm4Profit Podcast
Mastering Market Volatility: Ever.Ag’s Approach to Agricultural Risk Management
A lot of people have a, I know you guys have even talked about this on previous podcasts. They get a lot of foreign workers and sometimes there's a language barrier and the light is easy. Like the light, two lights, two lights. So you can just show them like, Hey, don't go past two lights until they get comfortable. And there's just little things like that that just help.
Farm4Profit Podcast
Mastering Market Volatility: Ever.Ag’s Approach to Agricultural Risk Management
And again, the age barrier, I mean, I've seen 13, 12 year olds out there running the carts. And they're able to run them and efficiently with very minimal training.