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Understanding Today’s Agriculture, AGRI130 Field Trip #3- Hoober Equipment

On October 12, 2019, Mr. Dave WARRY led the class on a tour of Hoober Equipment.  Getting off to a slightly late start, the tour began with a brief outline and background of the business and the employees in the particular branch we visited.

Mr. WARRY began by introducing himself, saying he began working with Precision Agriculture at Hoober’s in 2005.  He followed this up, by stating how unusual it is to remain in the business so long, saying people usual spend about 18months in the industry.  He says this is due to many factors, but he says there are many potential sources of frustration doing the job, such a people calling at all hours, people forgetting how to use the equipment from season to season, and the vast amount of patience required to deal with a flustered farmer who can’t move their product because of broken and malfunctioning machinery whilst waiting on repairs.  Mr. WARRY graduated from Penn State after majoring in Agricultural Systems Management and technology, but after college he went to work on a farm for four years, an experience he viewed equally valuable as college.  Agricultural Systems Management was not his first choice however- initially he was studying pre-vet, but saw it as, ‘a lot of work’, only switching his major after taking an Introduction to Agriculture course where the Advisor for Agricultural Systems Management (ASM).

Mr. WARRY said that Hoober’s works with Mr. James ADKINS and his irrigation technology, but each employee specializes in different equipment.

Next, we were introduced to Mr. Charlie IRVIN, who’s been with Hoober’s for a similarly long stretch time, doing service installs and working as the shops tractor and shop repairman for 12.5years.

Hoober’s itself is a family business established in 1941 and has 9 locations throughout PA, MD, DE, and VA.  The third generation, Mr. Bud HOOBER is gradually being succeeded by the next generation.  Hoober’s values a strong skill set over any degree.  They are looking for employees with personality, ‘common sense’, ambition, accountability, and self-motivation.  There are opportunities to receive on-the-job training as well as being sent around the country. Mr. WARRY did say that they struggled to find interested potential recruits.  He advocates the work with electronics because it offers employees a chance to learn and advance, and is often easier on an aging body than, ‘turning a wrench’ and working solely on mechanics.

Part of the work done at Hoober’s includes troubleshooting, which according to Mr. WARRY, takes very little time, and is done with charts and by computer.  Other ventures include a technology field lab and class tours like ours.

Hoober’s deals in agricultural, lawn&garden equipment, and construction equipment with automated technology.  Much of Hoober’s competition strives to sell programing tools for whatever technology they’re promoting- Hoober’s programming works across brands, for any equipment they carry.  The Tractor Supply Co., while very close by, is not a source of competition, as they only sell small parts- like hitches & chains- and animal feed- products that compliment what Hoober’s sells.

Automated steering is one of the most popular feature and it is used to prevent operator fatigue that often sets in a different points of a farmers 18hour day- the technology will keep the equipment running straight down the rows of a field, working at peak efficiency. Heated cabs, stereos, heated seats, and raised seating are among some of the modern-day features in the latest pieces of automated machinery.  When the computerized technology was tested against a conventional, non-autonomous piece of equipment, the drivers were required to take eight hour time-outs, operating only 30minutes at a time, according to test regulations set by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

The equipment Hoober’s carries is expensive.  Some of that expense is simply due to the brand name. Mr. WARRY told use that John Deere is always expensive, even when purchasing the brands signature yellow and green paint.  He cautioned us that John Deere equipment purchased at stores like Lowes & Home Depot is cheaper than buying directly from a company dealership, and that those cheaper pieces of equipment are often made of cheaper materials that will not last as long.  Other brands we saw included Cub Cadet and CASE among others.  Regardless of the brand, when purchasing a $400, 000 tractor vs. a $1, 000 lawnmower, the cost of repairs can quickly exceed the original price.

A stop in the back office revealed multiple shelves packed with service manuals- some as much as 50 years old, and still used regularly.  Though the floor might have been pressure-washed before we arrive, the 25-year-old building is due for an update, with new lighting and shrubbery planned for the interior and exterior, respectively.  Even with the desire to do some, ‘sprucing up’, Mr. WARRY said one of the best upgrades to the building, was the addition of AC, which made the working environment much more pleasant.

In the shop and ‘Combine Productivity Clinic’ massive repair jobs are underway on equally massive piece of machinery.  Brand new tractors shipped to the Port of Delaware arrived with damage received in-transit- required $100, 000-worth of repairs incurred from a rough sea journey.

The expense is understandable when the sheer power of the equipment is compared with that of a ‘standard’ tractor- the first machine we looked at, with 20, 000lbs/ft of torque, a 50, 000gal load of manure, and capable of pulling 70, 000lbs all together, was still able to reach up to 42mph, when a factory-quality tractor may only go 38-40mph.  That said, the machine would have significantly less horsepower running with natural gas.  Mr. WARRY projects methane from digested animal waste and electric battery technology with hydrogen fuel cells will be the way of the future.

Even with some of the mechanics shortcoming, the data for agronomy and electronics is still making great strides.  Automated dairies that record the amount of milk gathered and don’t require farms to manually latch each pump to a cows udder. Center pivot irrigation systems can be calibrated to the unique needs of different cultivars or even different varieties like corn.  Every three days, satellite images come in with up to 3ft(1m.) resolution, 30-40ft wide in infrared, near infrared, and color- data that allows farmers to almost distinguish individual plants.  In addition to the aerial views supplies by satellites, drones- currently in-vogue for scouting real estate- are now being used to evaluate irrigation, weeds, and nutrient application.  Mr. WARRY assures us that drone don’t replace agronomists- people are still needed to use the information they provide- drones just help farmers know where to look and address problems.

Hoober’s own connectivity network includes way stations all the way out to Ohio, with 1-1.5in. horizontal and vertical GPS accuracy, allowing its autonomous software to autocorrect and re-calculate paths with great precision.

One of the machines we spent a great deal of time going over was the Quadtrac. This particular machine had been stuck in the Delaware River/ocean, submerged with water well over the cab.  While Mr. WARRY repeatedly reminded us this piece of equipment was not, in fact, a submarine, he did tout it’s capacity to do a large amount of work- more than a bulldozer and dump truck combined.  Initially running after being fished out of the drink, the saltwater burnt the Quadtrac’s starters and batteries.  When fully operation, the powerhouse machine can travel 24mph on it’s treads with horse power ranging from 470hp up to 620hp, making it a go-to for beach reclamation and recovery, pushing sand on the dunes.  They are favored by the Delaware Dept. of natural Resources and Environmental Control(DNREC). The Quadtrac cost about $480, 000, but will cost the customer $1mil for repairs and having ht mechanics re-tuned.

Certain costs of repairs can be mitigated if the customer chooses the right features and tools for the job and puts the proper care and maintenance into his/her equipment.  With the Quadtrac, the Rubber-on-rubber treads generates heat, so dirt and sand are a good lubricant for those moving parts.  If a customer decides to upgrade to chrome over steel, this upgrade can prevent significant wear that would usually occur in just 2-3years.  1 (relatively) small chrome part, can cost $8, 000.

Using all this precision machinery, it can cost a farmer over $1mil just to complete a harvest.  Hoober ‘s provides expertise & technical support- for a $120, 000 service fee.

Look up!
Head out

Next, after a brief safety-scare- while standing in the ‘Combine Clinic’ where the mere tires of the machinery dwarfed us, workers were servicing a machine off to the side, over our heads- we headed out of the shop to allow those employees to work.  Our next stop was a small field of grass where we would be able to drive three pieces of equipment- but not before learning a bit about them. A brief discussion before the highly anticipated interactive portion of the trip- almost like grace before a meal…

First there was the Sprayer– a 120ft. Class 4 vehicle costing around $430, 000.  It’s great width prevents greater damage to small grain crops like soybeans that aren’t planted in rows.  Equipped with 72 nozzles, each is powered by it’s own computer.  The droplets sizes emitted from the sprayer are adjusted through pulsing pressure changes from the nozzles.  Regulations are in place to keep the pressure, ‘on target’ to avoid spraying private property & gardens.  With the Sprayer’s electrified network, any application of nitrogen is prone to mess up any one of the 72 computers onboard.  Mr. WARRY said that due to the info.-input overload of having each computer sending it’s own date, Hoober’s is going to do an $18, 000 re-tool on a 12-row sprayer, using just seven computers for a batch of nozzles using a new company’s technology.

Next up, we saw the Planter.  This machine was not one we go to drive, but we went through a run-down of its features too.  It cost around $150, 000- $180, 000- one of the cheapest pieces of equipment we spoke on today.  The seed is sucked into numerous individual planters by a vacuum.  The Planter is able to change its seeding rate and use markers to mark the rows, via satellite imagery and overlaying maps.  Seeds are planted using hydraulic downforce– how hard the see is placed into the ground. This machine can plant and fertilize seed.  There is also a no-till setting with which the machine parts the organic matter in a V-shape before depositing a seed and packing the soil over top.

The talk concluded and, instead of unfolding our hands, the Sprayer was folded into a much more compact, easier-to-drive setting.  During this transition, Prof. ISAACS reminded us of the $150mil cost of taking an idea to the construction phase- all the changes and improvements to each iteration of the equipment that had to be tested and approved before making it to market. One student asked what type of equipment might cut costs for the farmer.  Mr. WARRY said it depends, but a $60-70, 000 piece of machinery could be combined with an $11, 000 planter, then stripped and fit with electronics and computers, an do an acceptable job when compared with a top-line model.

During my ride in the one of the machines- the older of two CASE tractors, I was able to have some of my questions answered too.  I learned that Hoober’s does rent some equipment and there are places to go for that, but usually a farmer will invest in their own.  I also learned that new farm equipment may also come with failsafes to prevent damage from improper use- for example, when the Sprayer was being folded, Prof. ISAACS mentioned that if the sections were folded out of sequence they could crumple the components or even come through the cab!  Lastly, in response to what Mr. WARRY had mentioned about the technology component of precision agriculture being easier on older bodies, I asked about accessibility for farm equipment- a thought that came to me simply because I am shorter and climbing into the cabs, though not impossible, was a bit daunting.  Mr. ISAACS told me such a program exists- it’s call AgrAbility.  He told me that they make entering the cab much easier, but unlike other services that make custom vans from the ground up, there are no, ‘custom cabs’ because tractors cannot deviate from there factory default specs like that.

The trip concluded with a class picture and free Hoober ball caps and snapbacks for everyone.

 

Hoober’s Field Trip

This Field trip was very fun and I learned a lot about how precision ag is changing the way farmers do things. Hoober’s from the sound of it is where I would buy all my farming equipment. They are helpful and more important than that they are knowledgeable. Driving the tractors was very cool. The closest thing I’ve driven to a tractor was a bulldozer with a small backhoe on the back. The tractor was a lot smoother. Unfortunately, the auto steering didn’t work while I was in there but it started to right at the end so I got a little look at what was going on. It defiantly is cool how it just completely takes over and immediately starts to mark where you have been and I’m sure it would track everything you’ve harvested or sprayed. Which like professor Issac said would be very beneficial in a court case. This field trip definitely showed off this side of the industry very well and taught me a lot.

Hoober Field Trip

Last Saturday, our class took a field trip to Hoober in Middletown, Delaware. Founded in 1941, Hoober specializes in both the sale and repair of agricultural tractors, sprayers, harvesters, and planters, as well as precision agriculture equipment. Over the years, Hoober has established a reputation for reliability and professionalism. Hoober has several locations throughout Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania.

The tour began with two employees explaining their career with Hoober and discussing their current jobs. Eventually we came to the workshop and saw several tractors in various states of repair. After this, we were given the opportunity to drive three tractors around a field with the aid of a precision agriculture tool, the auto-steer. The auto-steer is a very helpful tool used by most farmers to make steering a tractor easier. Using GPS, the auto-steer automatically drives the tractor along a predetermined course. Overall, I enjoyed this field trip and what it taught me about the many applications of precision agriculture used by Hoober, Inc.

Hoobers

Hoobers is a multi generational business that our class visited on the 11th of October. They have been a company since the mid 1900’s. There was a lecture about all of the equipment and a tour of the firm where we could see all the different types of machinery they use. Hoobers makes this machinery and sells it to to other farms so they can be successful in growing, planting crops, and maintaining crops.

Farming equipment is a big part of the agricultural industry. These machines are very useful but also expensive. Some of these pieces of technology are worth millions of dollars. Even though I was unable to make the trip, I enjoyed all of the pictures of students using the equipment and I wish I could have used them myself. Hoobers seems like a very successful business and is still doing well. They are doing so well because other farms need these pieces of equipment to be more productive in farming.

Hoober Inc

Hoober inc has been around since 1941 with locations in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Delaware, their main focus is on maximizing their customer’s productivity. They do this by selling new and used farm equipment, providing part support and services and helping with growing precision agriculture technologies.  The Middletown Hoober Inc branch offers in-field services as well as an on-site shop for troubleshooting and repairs. Many of the technicians at Hoober are very skilled and love to work in the outdoors. The shop space still contains older work manual books for tractor models which the technicians say come in handy more than you would think. Out of recent technological improvements, Hoober’s popular item are technologies in automated steering for farm equipment. The main farming brand they support is CASE IH agriculture. This is what they feature because they believe the company has better durability, longevity and is cost-effective in parts replacement compared to other brands. Hoober has been there to support farmers and homeowners since 1941 and will continue to do so while keeping up to date on technological advances.

Hoobers

October 12th, 2019 the class took a field trip to Hoobers Farm. At Hoobers we learned all about the technology they use with their equipment. They gave us an opportunity to try it out. When we were given the chance to take a spin at the wheel, we saw firsthand how they drive and set their tractors to do their job. Hoobers has been going since 1941 and have nine locations scattered throughout Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Delaware. They discussed how technology isn’t always dependent. Directing and setting a tractor is like using a cell phone. If the service is bad it is hard for the technology to want to operate. This can be a tremendous downfall on their work ethics. They put their customers first when it comes to productivity. They taught the class how to operate the tractors and the brands they use for all their equipment. They sell their equipment for construction purposes as well. They provide a lot. It was a very interesting field trip.

Hoober Field Trip

Our field trip to Hoober Inc. in Middletown, Delaware was an amazing experience. Growing up, I have been to Hoober many times to get parts and I have witnessed their mechanics come to my farm to help us fix our equipment. We have lots of Case IH equipment so I felt as if I already knew a lot about Hoober, but boy was I wrong. This field trip gave me a better perspective of Hoober as a company and allowed me to learn about the various roles employees partake in. I really enjoyed going through their shop and getting an inside look on the jobs they perform. I always knew Hoober mechanics fixed tractors, but what I did not know was how much time and effort they take to just simply diagnose a problem and how sometimes it takes more than just a few screws and bolts to fix. With the new technology in the equipment, it takes a person that is very skilled with technology and troubleshooting to fix technological issues. Farmers call Hoober when they are having trouble with their equipment. If it is a simple fix, they will fix it right in the farmers shop. If it is a more difficult and strenuous process, they will take the tractor back to Middletown and have their team of highly skilled mechanics work together to solve the problem. Along with learning what they do, we also got to drive a tractor, sprayer, and steiger around. This was not anything new to me, but to my fellow classmates it was a really exciting experience.

Hoobers

On October 12th, at  Hoobers, we were able to see up close the technological side of Precision Ag. Not only does Hoobers sell tractors and other various precision Ag.  equipment, but they also help repair equipment that people bring in. Another part of their job is to go out in the community and help educate people on the correct way to use their equipment. For them, the most challenging part of precision Ag. is finding people who are interested in working there and know what they’re doing. In a job like Hoobers, each individual working there has to have the skills required for their job and also be able to be good at cooperating with the other sections of the company. As for new technological advancements that Hoober’s has, they have a connection with base station, which allows them to track and program all their equipment within the radius of the station.

Hoober Equipment Field Trip

Hoober Equipment began its business in 1941 in Intercourse, Pennsylvania. Currently, they are a third generation family business with locations in throughout Delmarva, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Hoober carries agriculture equipment from many companies, especially Case IH, Kubota, and JCB. The responsibilities that the Hoober team have are quite extensive and are not taken lightly for each employee knows that the quality of their repairs and products impact their reputation heavily. They definitely uphold their core values of integrity, teamwork and service.

Their advanced precision agriculture technology is impressive to say the least. When we were informed of the 250 thousand to well over 400 thousand dollar price of the machinery, it wasn’t easy to understand how and why people were willing to pay so much for these vehicles. Initially, I believed the size of the vehicles had to be part of the high price but, when I was explained how much these vehicles do, it was much clearer as to the importance and contribution each vehicle makes to aid in the agriculture industry. As we were going through the facility, we encountered the many different workers and observed how each did their part. Just like the equipment they provide, they work together like a finely tuned machine.

 

Field Trip 3: Hoober

Although I wasn’t able to go on the field trip due to prior arrangements, I was still able to learn a bit about Hoober from friends in the class. Hoobers has multiple branches, but the one I will be focusing on is the one in Middletown, DE. From their website they say, “Since 1941, the focus at Hoober has been on maximizing our customers’ productivity. From new and used equipment from proven leaders like Case IH, Kubota, JCB and more, to delivering exceptional service and parts support to keep your equipment running at peak performance, Hoober is there for agricultural, light construction, excavation and rural homeowner customers throughout the mid-Atlantic region”. 

At Hoober, you can buy equipment, replacement parts, and get help from the people at Hoober. They also focus on precision agriculture, which is a topic that we have been discussing in class. They even provide support for those interested in starting to use precision agriculture. Hoober also sells equipment for construction purposes, but they mostly sell larger pieces of equipment like tractors.

Field Trip to Hoober Equipment

On Saturday October 12th the class took a trip to Hoober equipment in in Middletown, Delaware. We got a tour around the place starting with their office. in the office we see an entire wall of binders for manuals for different pieces of equipment dating all the way back to the 50’s. Then we got to go into the repair shop and see many different pieces of equipment up close and taken apart. we saw many different pieces of equipment such as combines and tractors. after touring around the repair shop we were taken outside where saw a large planter close up. later we were given the option to ride in three different large tractors. It was fun to get into such a large vehicle and drive it around. Finally we returned to the shop and were offered a free hat. In the end it was cool to see so many large pieces of equipment up close and learn about some of the mechanics of them.

Hoober shop tour

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.

Hoober Field Trip

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.

HOOBER’S FIELD TRIP

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.

Hoober’s Tour & Precision Agriculture

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.