On Saturday, October 20th we visited the Hoober Inc. shop in Middletown, DE. It was an eye-opening day, full of learning and first-hand experience. First, the company’s history and services were explained. After receiving an explanation of the services provided, we took a tour of the facilities and the shop. We got the chance to see tractors and spreaders being worked on and complete models of combines and harvesters. It was intriguing to see how much work goes into precision agriculture. We learned that their store, the auto-steer is the most popular precision ag equipment sold. Precision ag is a field that offers many jobs, looking for applicants that are tech savvy and can work under pressure. A new and emerging precision ag technology being used are drones for filed scouting and spray applications.
** precision ag – managing crop production inputs (seed, fertilizer, lime, pesticides, etc.) on a site-specific basis to increase profits, reduce waste and maintain environmental quality.
On Saturday, October 20th we visited the Hoober shop in Middletown, DE. The day was full of learning, and receiving experience many of us have never had. First, we learned about the company, including it’s history and services. After understanding what the company provided, we toured the facilities and saw the shop. Tractors and spreader were being worked on, and we also looked at some combine and harvesters. While all of this was great, the best part of the day was riding the tractor/sprayer. It was intimidating at first, but once you got the hang of it, it was smooth sailing. We also learned about drone usage in agriculture, which actual requires a state permit to operate. Overall, the day was filled with fun and learning, and each student gained a valuable experience in precision ag.
The Hoober’s Equipment field trip was definitely the most interesting field trip for me so far. Being able to see how a lot of the farm equipment operates and some of the technology behind the equipment was remarkable. The most surprising part was how much the equipment costs, with a new Case IH combine coming in around half a million dollars. It was also cool to see the drone technology and how it is used. The small drone that was demonstrated had the ability to track and follow the farm equipment and to actually get close enough to the ground to be able to count plants for the farmer. Driving the sprayer was fun as well. With all of the technology, like the auto steer technology that uses GPS, it was surprisingly easy. The gentlemen that showed us around Hoober’s both stated that their favorite part of the job was being able to get out and assist farmers, specifically during planting season, which I can relate to because it gets them out and hands on instead of answering phone calls.
On Saturday October 20th October 2018 we toured a Hoober shop. When we first arrived I was blown away by the variety of equipment they sold. I thought they only sold what I imagined were tractors. However, that was only a small part of what they sold. We began the tour by looking around what they had on display in the shop. While we did this we were being given a brief history of the company. Shortly after this we went outside to see the much bigger tractors that they had but could not fit inside. This is when my mind was blown for a second time. The size of these tractors was extremely massive. At first I found the size to be intimidating, but then they said they would be able to drive these massive vehicles. The controls were somewhat counterintuitive to driving a car because you do not use your feet for the most part. Once I got the hang of it I had a blast. This turned out to be a very fascinating trip.
When we went to the Hoobers it was really eye opening to see how much work goes into precision agriculture. And how much everything cost through equipment and how much things have changed for the good of farming. Between farmers and techs at hoobers where the tech can actually enter the computer from his office instead of riding out to the field. To see what’s wrong with it most of the time also they can fix certain things through the computer. What I enjoyed besides the driving the sprayer which I never drove before. Was walking through the mechanics shop and how much time and efforts they take in making sure everything is up to par before people by them from Hoobers. Also with the gps in the tractor and sprayer that we got to drive was cool you could press one button and hook on to the preset track and the auto steer would kick in and you didn’t have to touch the steering wheel.
I am really glad I had the opportunity to be exposed to and drive important machinery used in the agricultural industry. Since I grew up in a suburb not too far outside of New York City I haven’t been around farm equipment for a substantial part of my childhood. I am constantly being impressed by the knowledge of people I’m surrounded by. I was also impressed by the fact that the tractors are able to be programmed so they can self-steer themselves. I also felt a strong sense of community while being at Hoober, Inc. Especially when learning about how the company handles customer service. Unlike some bigger companies, you have the opportunity to get to know the support team on a more personal level. It is important for farmers to get their machinery fixed fast, so they can get back to what needs to be done. Customer support is so important, especially as precision agriculture continues to be become more advanced.
Precision Agriculture is a vital part of modern farming as it is far more efficient than conventional methods and can increase yields for crops. It also makes the jobs of farmers much easier and quicker. The tractors and various equipment that we test drove at Hoober’s were equipped with precision Ag technology that allows for the tractor to create paths based on GPS so it can drive itself and maintain the path with extreme accuracy. This is very helpful for when visibility is low such as at night or if a lot of dust gets kicked up as the tractor will still maintain its assigned path. This allows for a more uniform distribution of seeds, herbicide, and insecticide to ensure the best possible yield for the crops. We were also shown a drone that had a program that would allow it to fly automatically and would monitor fields so that you have a more clear view. An important part of Hoober’s is the customer service that they provide. They are able to assist customers with technical problems and many of the problems can be solved over texts or a phone call which saves time for both Hoober’s and for farmers.
On October 20th, the AGRI130 class took a trip slightly down the state to Middletown, Delaware. There they visited a tractor and farm equipment dealership known as Hoober, Inc. Upon arriving the class was met by two employees who started out by relaying the history of the company and how it became what is it today. While the company does sell many Kubota products and landscape equipment, Hoober is also a Case IH dealer. The class was able to take a tour through the shop and most of the property. There the class learned that a new combine with new heads can easily cost over half a million dollars! The class was able to view combines, sprayers, and planters to name a few.Near the end of the tour the class was split into groups to learn about drone use in agriculture and to drive a sprayer and a tractor. When it was time to leave the entire class was given Hoober hats. The tractor rides seemed to be the highlight for multiple students. It was a fantastic field trip and the two guides were extremely friendly and knowledgable.
On Saturday October 20th, 2018 we went on a trip to Hoober’s company in which we got to learn more about the company and precision agriculture. While there they talked about precision agriculture and its uses in agriculture. They also mentioned how it helps get things done faster for farmers. After they talked to us about the company they gave us a tour of the place. While walking around we got to see new tractors, combines and a drone. During the walk they pointed out different things about the equipment and mentioned how it is designed better than the way it used to be designed. In the combine for example there are less chains going through it to move everything so it runs better. Now it uses hydraulics to move everything. This has made repairs easier and improved the efficiency of farmer’s completing their task. The drone is useful since it is able to scout a large area of field without the farmer having to go out and walk his field. This helps the farmer see how much damage was done to a field due to flooding from rain and how much of his field is still good. It was also fun getting to drive a tractor for the first time. It was different but easy due to the explanation the workers gave of operating it. It was a good learning experience about precision agriculture and a way to see changes to the machines.
Picture of the class with our two guides in front of a Case IH 4430 Sprayer.
Hoobers Inc. a well known agriculture equipment dealership among the East Coast is one that has seen technology change over the years. Our class was toured around the Middletown dealership by two employees that are excellent in the precision ag. field and taught us the broad history of Hoobers and what they do on a daily basis. Hoobers Inc. was first started in 1941 in Intercourse, Pa where Charles Hoober sold International Harvesters. Since 1941 the company has expanded to 9 locations covering 4 different states and continues to adapt to the new technology available to farmers. One aspect that really stands out compared to other companies today is that Hoobers is still owned and operated by the same family that means they really know and believe in their product. After the two employees taught us some history they took us on a tour of the Middletown facility where we got to see the products and services they provide to farmers.
Growing up on a large grain farm I was familiar with Hoobers Inc. and precision agriculture for my family is a huge customer to the company. However I did not realize that this company was a 3rd generation operation, which appeals to me and gives me a sense of trust towards the company. I also thought that the drone was quite interesting because while my family uses precision ag. for our equipment we do not currently take-advantage of drones. I believe this technology could save my family money in the future because we currently use two different agriculture consultant companies to scout our fields but with the technology of drones we could scout ourselves, which could possibly reduce or eliminate the scouting cost.
I’m very sad to have missed this field trip, because I really wanted to drive a tractor! The only experience I have driving equipment that Hoober sells is our zero turn lawn mower we own at home, and smaller tractor I use to do the barn chores. From the album online, I was able to see just how big those tractors are. From the video we watched in class, I got a taste for what precision Ag is, and I think it’s fascinating that this technology is available to us. I also think the use of drones for surveying is a great application of the technology. The only thing that scares me is just how reliant we’re becoming on technology. When I think of driving a vehicle, it’s hard to imagine the functions being almost entirely automatic. Knowing your precise location, speed, efficiency, etc. is very impressive for a computer to do, but what if something goes wrong?
An important takeaway for me is advocacy and education about this type of technology. There are immense opportunities for experts in the tech field to grasp onto and be the people who take this technology into the future. It’s extremely important that people start to become educated about where this industry is heading, and we need those innovative thinkers to help guide us in the right direction.
Growing up all I could think about was riding with my Dad in the combine or sitting on his lap helping him drive around. Having the chance to drive a tractor again at Hoober`s really showed how highly technology is used and how its improved is amazing.
Technology being a key component on how agriculture has improved and sky rocketed over the years has really opened my eyes about the future of ag. With seeing all different pieces of technology in on piece of equipment is insane, you have every moment monitored whether it showing what you’re planting and where you did plant and how much was planted. Technology has gotten so big to the point where you can literally sit on your hands and the tractor stay on its set path. Its just mind blowing to see how everything has changed and how its improved what we do today and how fast we are able to accomplish certain things. I am happy I was able to have this experience and I want to thank Hoober for the wonderful time there!
Just off route 301 in Middletown is a tractor and farm equipment dealership called Hoober Inc. On our field trip here we met two employees who showed us around and told us about what Hoober Inc does. In 1941 Charles “Bud” Hoober started selling International Harvester tractors and equipment in Intercourse Pennsylvania. As tractor technology expanded so did Hoober’s company. Hoober Inc. currently has 9 locations and is still owned and operated by 3rd generation of Hoobers. The show room in the dealership and the parking lot had many Kubota products such as zero turn mowers and RTV buggies. While they do sell land scape equipment Hoober is a Case IH dealer. We got a tour through the shop and saw sprayers, tractor, loaders, and combines being worked on. After seeing the shop we walked outside to all of the tractors, sprayers, combines, planters, and more. We got to see how a combine works, from the different kinds of heads to how it grinds up and spreads the unwanted parts of a crop. Did you know a new combine with new heads can cost over half a million dollars? Tractor driving was up next. The group was split in to two groups, one for learning about drones and the other got to drive the sprayer or tractor. The tractor was a Case IH 315 Magnum with duals front and rear. The sprayer was a Case IH 4430 Patriot. The tractor had auto steer which allowed the operator to remove their hands from the steering wheel and the tractor would steer its self. The drone demonstration showed how drones are used in precision ag for birds eye view observation. At the end of the trip we all got Hoober hats and got on the bus, It was a lot of fun.
This past Saturday the class took a field trip to Hoobers to see how much precision agriculture has truly impacted the industry. On the field trip my fellow classmates were able to see and experience how the use of GPS is used to work a field, auto steer technology, and drone technology. Although I was not able to actually attend, precision agriculture is something I a lot of experience with. Much of what was shown and talked about on the tour, I have actually been doing on my family’s farm for many years. Precision agriculture is something that still continues to amaze me every day.
One aspect of precision agriculture that I was able to work a lot with this summer, and that my classmates got to see, was the use of drone technology. This summer my family’s farm has really dove into the use of drones for crop health and scouting purposes. I got to see and actually fly drones over our fields and pretty accurately do stand counts, crop health indexes, and in general show problem areas in our fields that we would have never seen on foot. Seeing the information a drone can gather really gives farmers the opportunity to make the slightest change land management decisions to increase yield. For example, soil sampling specific sections of a field due to poor crop health during growth. Drones and many other aspects of precision agriculture shown on the Hoobers tour will continue to change the way we farm. Precision agriculture is something that still continues to amaze me every day and also is opening up so many new jobs for my generation.
On October 20, the AGRI 130 students had the opportunity to visit Hoober Incorporated in Middletown Delaware. We learned about the history of the company and its growth over the years. Hoober now has multiple locations in Delaware and Pennsylvania, but it is still a family owned business. Hoober is successful in the sale of specialty landscape equipment, tractors, and combines, as well as other equipment and parts. We had the opportunity to walk through the repair shop and see Hoober employees servicing a variety of agricultural equipment. It was cool to see a corn combine attachment up close and the engine of a tractor removed from the vehicle. After walking through the shop, we viewed the inner structures of a new Case IH combine. Crops are cut by the attachment and a spinning drum removes the grain from the stalk. The harvested grain is stored at the top of the combine while the rest of the plant material is shredded and spread back into the field. I had the opportunity to drive a large tractor and a sprayer around a field. It was interesting to see the amount of technology involved in modern tractors and sprayers. The vehicle I had the opportunity to drive also had the capability of driving itself using GPS implemented technology. After driving the vehicles, we watched a drone demonstration. Drone technology can be used to map crop fields and much more. Once programmed, a drone can fly (legally) up to 400 feet into the air and navigate a field to take pictures. The images are then used for field analysis so the farmer can specialize water, nutrient, and pesticide application depending on the needs of specific areas of the field. Drone operators must be certified by the FAA for flying commercially or recreationally. Thank you to Hoober Inc for giving AGRI 130 students this experience.
