Find Your Opportunity

We are always asked the question:  Do you have any dealers in my area?

We currently have three dealers plus ourselves in the state of Iowa: G&G Cattle, Tri-R-Ag Supply, and Schneider Farms.  All three are farmers who use their own TOP-SPREAD and are very knowledgeable about the equipment.  Our second group falls into our referral program.  Every TOP-SPREAD customer is automatically enrolled.

*Edit: We have added three more dealers.  Erosion Products, Fencing Plus, and Swartzrock Implement.

As farmers, we have to find different avenues to produce revenue in our operations.  We believe in creating an opportunity for you to do so with your TOP-SPREAD purchase.  Not only does it save you money, it can also make you money.  If you refer a friend, neighbor, or person at the grocery store that results in a sale, you earn a referral fee.  If an inquiry mentions your name that results in a sale, you earn a referral fee.

Simple as that.

Other Avenues to Earn Income on Your Farm.

Get Started:

• What are your strengths/education/talents?
• What resources (land, animals, people, etc.) do you have?
• What is a need in your area?
• How can you fill that need with your talents/resources in a unique way?

Ideas:

• Fixing Equipment
• Selling Equipment/Structures/Livestock
• Selling unprocessed farm goods (herbs, veggies, eggs)
• Selling value added products (baking, crafts, industrial art)
• Teaching classes or giving farm tours
• Consulting for other farmers
• Event Planning
• Custom Farm duties for others

Don't forget to check with your free state resources for small businesses and the regulations.

Find Your Opportunity.  Make it Count.

Have more ideas to add to this list?  Please share in the comments or share on Social Media.

                

Want to starting earning additional profit with TOP-SPREAD?  Call us today: (641) 228-1101.

Best Value for Cow Bedding

Prices Drive many decisions in farming.

The world sees us as a commodity, meaning one ton of straw is the same as the next.  Farmers usually don't agree with this, working year-round to produce the best product available.  This doesn't change the fact that most farm inputs and outputs are market priced, including organic bedding material.

Organic bedding material price differs throughout the year just like any other commodity where the market determines the price at any given moment.  This is based on consumer demand and available supply.  During the winter months, these products are not grown and farmers need the material so prices are higher.  Prices are lower in the summer months when bales are easily found and there is not as much demand.

Average Price of the most commonly used material.

Wheat Straw: $112

 

Corn Stalks: $63

 

Oat Straw: $54

As you can see, price varies greatly between material types.  They range from over $100 to just over $50 per ton of material.  The largest discrepancy in price comes from transportation costs.  Wheat is primarily found out west and shipped to the Midwest, whereas cornstalks are found locally.

Wheat straw is a much softer material to use for calf pens, but is more expensive and doesn't absorb material as well.  Corn stalks are tougher, but they are much cheaper and more absorbent than wheat straw.

It basically comes down to your priorities.  If soft bedding for your calves is necessary, paying 40 more dollars per ton may be worth it.  If you need absorbency and an economical option, corn stalks are for you.

Both are easily processed in a Top-Spread bale spreader.  There are models for round or square bales to meet your needs.  Choose your bedding and your Top-Spread model to start making the best choices for your livestock.

 

Download your FREE copy of Save Money with Cattle Bedding

 

for more information about different types of bedding material.

 

 

Check out our website to view Top-Spread model options today.

 

Be sure to connect and chat with us on Social Media.  We like seeing your livestock pictures!

               

 

To get Tips, Tricks, and News delivered straight to your inbox, subscribe to our bimonthly newsletter.  You will also get the most updated Top-Notch Machine info!

 

 

The Job(s) of a Farmer

We are a small production shop in Charles City, Iowa.  One great advantage is we all have many responsibilities and talents.  No one has just one job around here.  Most of us are currently farmers or grew up on a farm.  Everyone works hard to weld, assemble, machine, problem solve, clean, complete paperwork and inspections, talk with customers and suppliers, maintain shop equipment, process accounting, market, share our stories, and innovate new processes.  That's just some of what we do at the shop.  Then we go home to tend our livestock, maintain our property, repair equipment, go to a second job, and take care of our families.

We understand the many "job responsibilities" that farmers have.  How you may start your day by assisting in a birth, replace a transmission in a tractor, survey storm damage to your crops, and get your livestock fed, all before breakfast.

Because farming operates 24/7/365, we are always looking for the next thing to make us more efficient, faster, and more affordable.  These are all things we have in mind when discussing your processing needs.  We value the work ethic, schedule, skills, and budget of a farmer.  Social Media is making it easier for our farming community to share stories and communicate about what real life on the farm looks like. 

 

We'd love to hear and share yours. 

Comment, tag us on Facebook,

tweet @TopNotchMachine, send us an email, or give us a call.

                

 

Want to keep updated on our story?  Subscribe to our Newsletter and be the first to know about our events.

 

 



Stuck in the Mud

That's right, you guessed it!  Our first post is about MANURE.

Farmers have endless chores that need to be completed every day.  One of them is dealing with the maintenance of livestock waste.  This can take several hours of your week to complete.  Valuable time that could be spent on nurturing and feeding animals instead of cleaning up after them.

 

A Cow/Calf pair will produce 125lbs of manure per DAY!

 

That's a lot of manure to manage.  If you don't deal with it, their can be damaging effects to your livestock.

 

 

Appearance of Lesions:  There may be debris that rub against the cattle joints creating unwanted lesions.

 

 

Bacteria Transfer:  When cattle lay in manure, they transfer bacteria to their hide.  This may contaminate the meat during the hide removal process.

 

 

Loss of Gain:  When calves have to trudge through material to walk, it uses all their energy.  This translates into loss of muscle and fat.

 

 

Find out how to manage these problems by downloading our FREE ebook:

 

Save Money with Cattle Bedding

 

Be sure to keep updated on more Farm Spread Info by subscribing to our blog.

 

Check out our website at www.top-notchmachine.com.

 

Thanks for reading our post about Manure Production!