Why is farm machinery better than simple farm tools?

Choosing the most effective equipment for your farm is a big task. The first hurdle is that there are so many fantastic brands to choose from, including Crommelins, Kanga and Silvan. Within these brands, there are also an assortment of equipment types, ranging from heavy-duty machinery to handheld tools. When farming technology is always progressing, it can be difficult to know what’s best for our farms. Sometimes it can feel almost impossible to keep up with ever-evolving methods and machinery.

From Farming Then to Farming Now

At Bunyip Equipment, we understand that farming is an old practice. Even today, farming processes and techniques are often passed from one family member to another. This history means that the constant updating of farming machinery can be overwhelming for farmers, especially those who are born-and-bred. For these farmers, it might be tempting to stick with simple, familiar farm tools, rather than take a risk on machinery. There are, however, many significant benefits to switching to machinery, and plenty of evidence to suggest that any temporary discomfort will be worth the overwhelming advantages.

To make your life a little easier, we’ve put together a straightforward guide to understanding the advantages of using modern farm machinery.

A Brief History of Farming

When faced with the frightening prospect of new technologies, it can sometimes be helpful to consider the past. It’s easy to forget that the useful technologies we take for granted today were once strange and new, and possibly even threatening from some perspectives. Over time, farming processes have evolved in many ways to form the practices we know today.

Rotating crops, for example, was once an innovative practice that had a huge impact on the way people farmed. Developed in ancient Roman, African and Asian cultures, its introduction in the US saved the farming resources of the South in the early 1900s. The invention of certain farm machineries can be seen to have a similar impact. Grain elevators, stationary balers, milking machines, ploughs and reapers are all examples of farm machinery that was once new and is now a staple on many farms around the world.

We’ve always invented and embraced incredible new ways to get the job done, so why not continue the trend?

How Does Mechanisation Bring Benefits to Farmers?

1. Increases Efficiency

Designed by experts, farm machinery is highly specialised to complete specific farming tasks in the most efficient and effective way possible. Using this kind of equipment on your farm will increase the speed of your farming operations — simple as that.

At one time, farmers were using horses to plough one acre of land a day. They can now plough 12 acres a day using a tractor. This example gives an insight into just how impactful machinery has been on farming practices over the years. Modern farming equipment like the combine harvester can even improve the quality of the work completed, helping farmers produce cleaner and more desirable grain. Plus, the correct equipment can harvest crops without disturbing the soil too much, leading to better soil health and nutrient retention for the next crop rotation.

Saves Money

As we’ve already established, farm machinery increases efficiency. Since you are now able to operate your farm in a more efficient manner, it is only logical that you would start making more money. Furthermore, the time that this machinery has freed up can now be spent investing in other areas of the farm — fixing faults and improving weak spots. The need for manual labour is also reduced, lowering the cost of operation, and you also have a greater capacity to cultivate other areas of successful farmland.

While the machinery itself might seem pricey initially, you are investing in a tool that will save and produce money wherever you look. These are also highly durable pieces of equipment that will last at least a decade, unlike some simple farm tools.

Improves Your Quality of Life

It’s no secret that farming is incredibly taxing on the farmer. No matter what kind of farmer you are, a good portion of your job is probably physically gruelling, and possibly even a little dangerous. You are exposed to the elements all year round, no matter the severity of the conditions. You are often required to work throughout the year without the rest afforded by holidays or weekends. You are also often isolated, unable to spend much time outside of your farm and with people besides your limited number of coworkers. These factors can contribute to a poor work–life balance, leaving you feeling perpetually drained and burnt out. Lifestyles such as these can have a negative effect on your social life and mental health.

If you’re not careful, a career in farming can be seriously harmful to your physical, social and mental wellbeing. The importance of finding a healthy work–life balance cannot be overstated. It is also crucial that farmers employ farming techniques that allow them to work safely, without serious risk of injury.

Amazingly, farming machinery has the ability to solve all of these problems. These technologies are designed to increase efficiency and minimise the need for manual labour. As a result, farmers can finish their work days sooner and spend less physical exertion on completing their daily tasks. They have a safer work environment and a better overall work–life balance.

Where Do I Find the Latest Agricultural Machinery?

Now that you understand the benefits of farm machinery, you might be considering taking the leap and getting yourself some new equipment. Bunyip Equipment stocks only the most useful, effective and high-quality machinery on the market, with a huge range of products to suit various needs.

We have world-class brands, such as crommelins, who produce machinery ranging from power trowels to pressure cleaners to groundhog trenchers. We also sell machinery from phenomenal brands such as Sureweld, Kanga and Silvan, catering to farming and agricultural needs, as well as those of tradespeople. We have earth-moving equipment, loading ramps, auger packages and all kinds of machinery attachments to make your life easier.

For highly-specialised equipment at exceptional prices, browse our website today!