Andy Castillo

West Springfield

Equipment and Machinery Editor at Farm Progress

Tech/equipment editor @FarmDaily. MFA in creative nonfiction. Previously @TheRecorderNews @DailyHampGaz @GoNOMAD @AmerCityCounty @MDCollegian @WWLP22News

Articles

Strategies to maintain profitability

1 week ago | farmprogress.com | Andy Castillo

Dire headlines loom large for agriculture these days, as rising prices threaten to sink farm finances. But this isn’t the first storm U.S. farmers have weathered — and it won’t be the last. Understanding your equipment overhead is key to enduring economic turbulence, says Bradley L. Zwilling, vice president of data analysis at Illinois Farm Business Farm Management, according to an article he wrote in Farmdoc Daily.
From Iowa farm to Case IH precision farming lead

1 week ago | farmprogress.com | Andy Castillo

Her dangling pink, junior-sized sneakers can’t reach the clutch. The Midwestern sun beats down mercilessly. A baseball cap muffs the farm girl’s chaotic blonde hair, casting her dusty freckles in stark shadow. Dean Quandahl shifts his faithful International Harvester tractor into gear and leaps down to stack another small square bale, sinking deeply into the soft Iowa clay.
Maintenance and challenges

1 week ago | farmprogress.com | Andy Castillo

Farm equipment is the backbone of agricultural operations. It works tirelessly from sunrise to sunset, pushing through challenging conditions without complaint. Modern machines are rugged technological workhorses — but they have an Achilles’ heel: electrical systems. Mice, rats and squirrels can chew through harnesses. Water ingress can corrode connections, causing sensors to provide inaccurate readings. Sunlight can damage wiring.
Factors to consider when choosing between new and used farm equipment

1 week ago | farmprogress.com | Andy Castillo

When it’s time to invest in equipment, we often ask ourselves the same question: new or used? With rising input costs, evolving technology and equipment availability always in flux, the decision isn’t always black and white. The right choice comes down to what works best for your farm, your priorities and your long-term goals. The best place to begin is by thinking through what will be required of the machine.
John Deere acquires Sentera to enhance aerial field scouting for farmers

2 weeks ago | farmprogress.com | Andy Castillo

John Deere has acquired Sentera, a remote imaging company, following a successful partnership that began in 2016 when the firms collaborated to develop advanced field-scouting capabilities. “Sentera provides aerial scouting for farmers, ag retailers and other producers [and] then turns images into agronomic data,” says Joe Leifer, global tech marketing lead at John Deere. “They have their own camera that allows them to fly high above the crop and still get to that 1½ millimeter accuracy.
John Deere launches advanced F8 and F9 forage harvesters

2 weeks ago | farmprogress.com | Andy Castillo

John Deere’s latest self-propelled forage harvesters have been redesigned from the ground up for improved automation, more tech and higher horsepower. Upgrades to the new F8 and F9 Series extend machine life and reduce downtime. “A higher-quality forage output with more power, more precision and more uptime — that’s the focus of the new forage harvesters for our customers,” says Bergen Nelson, John Deere’s go-to market manager for harvesting equipment.
How a Kansas farm girl turned tragedy into rodeo triumph

2 weeks ago | buff.ly | Andy Castillo

After losing her leg in a UTV accident, 15-year-old Ryleigh Farson returns to rodeo competition with determination, inspiring others with her resilience. Andy Castillo, Editor of Farm Equipment and MachineryIt’s early. Ryleigh Farson, 14, zips along a dirt road 7 miles west of Abilene, Kan., on a UTV. Behind her, a cloud of dust obscures the rodeo arena her family helps maintain. Ryleigh heads to a pasture to turn on water after feeding the bucking horses and bulls with her father, Matt.
Netafim's irrigation-as-a-service model boosts farm water efficiency

2 weeks ago | farmprogress.com | Andy Castillo

Andy Castillo, Editor of Farm Equipment and MachineryIRRIGATION BENEFITS: The service can help farmers reduce water and fertilizer usage, and improve yields.Netafim Farmers looking to maximize their water efficiency via drip irrigation without an upfront investment in equipment have a new option. Netafim’s irrigation-as-a-service model eliminates startup costs while connecting farmers with irrigation experts who can optimize their operations.
CNH Industrial and Starlink bring high-speed internet to farm equipment

2 weeks ago | farmprogress.com | Andy Castillo

Andy Castillo, Editor of Farm Equipment and MachinerySENDING HELP: The lack of connectivity in rural environments can make farm logistics challenging. Operations like prescription spraying and drone imaging pose a particular challenge. Nastco/Getty ImagesCNH Industrial has teamed up with Space X’s Starlink to connect its Case IH, New Holland and Steyr machines with high-speed connectivity.
How a Kansas farm girl turned tragedy into rodeo triumph

3 weeks ago | farmprogress.com | Andy Castillo

It’s early. Ryleigh Farson, 14, zips along a dirt road 7 miles west of Abilene, Kan., on a UTV. Behind her, a cloud of dust obscures her family’s rodeo arena. Ryleigh heads to a pasture to turn on water after feeding the bucking horses and bulls with her father, Matt. Cornfields stretch into a pastel sky. Birdsong floats above the rustling stalks. It’s a perfect summer morning — until it isn’t. There’s a rock ahead. She swerves. The vehicle flips.