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Farmer Tõnis

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Farmer Tõnis

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farmer.tonis

🇪🇪 Farmer from Estonia
🌱 I create humorous and educational farming content
⬇️ Follow along

Orange tractor's door sounds the best 😅 #farme

Orange tractor's door sounds the best 😅

#farmertonis #farming #johndeere #newholland #kubota #tractor #funny

No, I am just a huge fan of farming and tractors!

No, I am just a huge fan of farming and tractors!

#farmertonis #johndeere #farming #farmwork #farmingbusiness #workworkworkworkwork #expensivework #farmerlife

Yeah, about that promise, probably not gonna make

Yeah, about that promise, probably not gonna make it 😅

#farmertonis #farming #farmerlife #kids #johndeere #horsch #promises #farmerproblems

I took a nice picture in spring #farmertonis #low

I took a nice picture in spring

#farmertonis #lowseasoncontent #winterwheat #farming #newholland #kverneland #fertilizing #producingfood

Turns out that I need a subwoofer in a tractor 😅

#farmertonis #farmerlife #caseih #subwoofer #gigidagostino #dancelikenooneiswatching

Feeling the cold? Sure! But what about the fields

Feeling the cold? Sure!
But what about the fields several kilometers away? ❄️🤔 @paultech_esoil knows when there’s been a night freeze—so you don’t waste time (or spray) when it’s not the right moment!

#farmertonis #PaulTech #soiltalks #SoilMonitoring

🌾 Spring Growth Regulator – More Tillers, Mor

🌾 Spring Growth Regulator – More Tillers, More Yield?

For years, we've heard that applying a growth regulator in early spring helps wheat produce more tillers, leading to higher yields. But does it really work? 🤷‍♂️

💡 Field Trial – Winter Wheat
📍 Variety: Informer
🌱 Spring Fertilization (Trial Area):
🔹 NPK 10-13-25 → 100 kg/ha
🔹 CAN 27+4S → 100 kg/ha
🔹 Total: 37 kg N/ha (Low due to winter damage from freeze-thaw cycles)

🚜 Total Field Yield: 4.7 t/ha
Small patches yielded only a few hundred kg/ha, lowering the average.

🧪 Treatment:
🔹 Growth regulator: Chlormequat chloride 750 g/ha
🔹 Spraying date: 30.04.2024

🔬 Scientists from Centre of Estonian Rural Research and Knowledge also examined the plants, if there are more tillers or does the plant height differ. Big thanks to Reine Koppel 🙌

📊 Results:
❌ No significant increase in tillers – untreated plants actually had slightly more!
📏 No difference in plant height – dry spring might have played a role.
📉 Yield in the trial area ranged from 5.6 to 6.3 t/ha, slightly higher average without the regulator.

Conclusion: Before spraying for more tillers, think twice. Maybe it is a waste of time and money? 🤷‍♂️

PS: Still wondering how I got 6 t/ha with just 37 kg N/ha… If you have a theory, drop it in the comments! 👇

Map is from @agleadertech SMS software.
Thanks to @laulumaias for analyzing the plants!

#farmertonis #WinterWheat #spraying #yield

Satisfied isn't even the right word for that! Or w

Satisfied isn't even the right word for that! Or what?

#farmertonis #achievement #farmingestonia🇪🇪 #newholland #fireball

Insurance Against Winter Damage – Is It Worth It

Insurance Against Winter Damage – Is It Worth It?

This post is in collaboration with EURORISK 🌾

Much longer version in 🇪🇪 🇬🇧 farmertonis.ee

After a positive experience with drought insurance, I decided to try winter damage insurance this year. The biggest motivator? PRIA’s agricultural insurance support, which compensates up to 70% of the insurance premium!

🌨️ Unpredictable Winter
With the weather acting up, is it smarter to play it safe and insure, or does the cost outweigh the benefits? Let’s break it down:

What Does Winter Damage Insurance Cover?
✅ Active from November 15 to May 1
✅ Covers damage from ice, snow, or low temperatures (like 🇪🇪 farmers faced in 2024)
✅ Compensation kicks in if 20% or more of the field is damaged
✅Covers hail, rain, storm damage also, active til 30th of October

Required live plants per m² after spring sprouting. Under that you are eligible for compensation.

Winter rapeseed: 10
Winter wheat: 120
Winter barley: 100

My Example
I insured:
139.2 ha winter wheat
18 ha winter rapeseed

Premium (before subsidy): €11,641.50 (€74/ha)
After PRIA support (70%): €3,492.45 (€22/ha)

Replanting costs covered:
Winter wheat: €250/ha
Winter rapeseed: €350/ha

The Question

Is it worth €22/ha when I might not get anything back? My perspective: I’d rather save that cost elsewhere, knowing there’s no guarantee also that I’ll recover the money from doing things in the field

Risk management is a learning process, and with support like this, it’s an option worth considering.

#farmertonis #EURORISK #RiskManagement

Every step is a calculated risk—can't afford a f

Every step is a calculated risk—can't afford a fall with these brittle bones!

#farmertonis #age #ageisjustanumber #brittle #brittlebones #iceicebaby

🌱 Post-Northern Roots Reflections 🌱 Did Nor

🌱 Post-Northern Roots Reflections 🌱

Did Northern Roots change me? Probably not—I mean, I am 35 after all! 😃
But it gave me the push I needed to seriously think about further cutting farm input costs and boosting yields.

Lately, my ChatGPT searches look something like:
🔍 “What should a pea seed coating consist of?”
🔍 “What if I want to make 200 liters of this?”

Joel Williams hit the nail on the head: treating seeds with beneficial microbes and nutrients is "the lowest hanging fruit with the biggest impact." 💡

🎤 On stage, I shared my vision for carbon credits. Are we navigating uncharted waters? Sure. But I believe in it. Joining a carbon program has pushed me to explore regenerative agriculture and plant cover crops on my farm.

However, here’s the rub: carbon programs currently reward change more than long-term good practices. For example, someone moving from heavy plowing and fertilizer use earns more than farmers like me, who’ve practiced minimal tillage and smart fertilizer use for years. Luckily, I’m not the only one speaking up and the better solutions are being explored

I see the carbon program as a start-up: risky, but full of opportunities for growth and learning.

Hearing @eb_wildfarmed @wildfarmed story. It’s proof that out-of-the-box thinking and a strong team can create miracles. Could something like that happen in Estonia? Who knows. But hey, like-minded people have brought independence to Estonia before—maybe farmers could do the same.
Picture renesuurkaev_photo

Yeah, yeah, no, no, no 🤦 If you think that wat

Yeah, yeah, no, no, no 🤦

If you think that watching Tokyo Drift once will make you a drift king...

#farmertonis #tractor #drifting #fail #newholland

Sorry for being so cool 😅 #farmertonis #farmin

Sorry for being so cool 😅

#farmertonis #farming #dadlife

🌾 Agricultural Insurance Subsidy – How Hard C

🌾 Agricultural Insurance Subsidy – How Hard Can It Be? 🤔

This post is made in collaboration with EURORISK
agro.eurorisk.ee

At the end of 2023, I found out you could insure crops against hail, storms, winter damage, and drought, with PRIA covering up to 70% of the cost. Sounded too good to be true. Spoiler: it was true after all 😅

Here’s how it went:
1️⃣ Contact Eurorisk for drought insurance.
🌱 Deadlines: May 15 (spring crops), May 5 (winter crops).
2️⃣ Fill a table with info: land size, crop type, yields (past & planned), price.
3️⃣ Get your insurance quote. 📄
4️⃣ Submit an application to PRIA.
5️⃣ Scratch your head 🫠 because the form is confusing.
6️⃣ Find the step-by-step instructions in your email. 💡
7️⃣ Submit the application (May 21, 2024).
8️⃣ Pay the insurance premium a few days later (not on the same day!). 💸
9️⃣ June 9: 🎉 Application approved!
🔟 Submit a payment request + receipt.
1️⃣1️⃣ June 28: 70% of the premium refunded! 🤑

💰 What did it cost?
2024 drought insurance: €29.50/ha.
After PRIA’s subsidy, I paid just €8.85/ha. Considering that even looking at the field costs more these days, I felt this is money well spent 😅

Spring droughts are practically the new norm, so this seemed like a no-brainer.

And ofcourse drought came and I got back 28,5€/ha for the drought damage on my oats and barley

Longer version 🇪🇪 🇬🇧 farmertonis.ee

Next post: How did insuring against winter damage go in autumn 2024? Stay tuned!

#farmertonis #FarmingTips #AgricultureLife #CropInsurance #DroughtInsurance #FarmSmart

🌾 2024 Crop Results: The Good, The Bad, and the

🌾 2024 Crop Results: The Good, The Bad, and the "Are You Kidding Me?!"

Disclaimer! Calculations are as follows yield*price minus fertilizer, seed, chemicals, machinery fuel.
You have to deduct land rent, leasing, repair etc. - fixed costs from this gross margin! What is left after these deductions? Almost nothing 😅
This to show if I am effective using my inputs! Also to other farmers to compare how much you got back compared to inputs.

Winter Wheat – 🏆 Top Performer
• Area: 88 ha (8 fields)
• Yield: 5.7 t/ha (4.2–6.4 t/ha)
• Gross margin: €537/ha
• Low nitrogen, high returns—reliable and profitable!

Winter Barley – 💪 Solid Results
• Area: 18 ha (2 fields)
• Yield: 5.56 t/ha (5.31–5.65 t/ha)
•Gross margin: €394/ha
• Held its ground despite tough conditions.

Oats – 🌟 A New Addition That Paid Off
• Area: 37 ha (2 fields)
• Yield: 4 t/ha (3.8–4.1 t/ha)
• Gross margin: €468/ha
• High market prices made oats a star this year!

Field Peas – 🤔 Simple Yet Profitable
• Area: 55 ha (3 fields)
• Yield: 3 t/ha
• Gross margin: €459/ha
• Minimal inputs worked just as well as intensive care. No need of intensive care then 😅

Winter Rapeseed – 🛠️ Needs Improvement
• Area: 40 ha (5 fields)
• Yield: 1.6 t/ha (0.9–1.9 t/ha)
• Gross margin loss: -€14/ha
• A tough season with lessons learned for 2025.

Spring Barley – 🚨 Total Miss
• Area: 19 ha (2 fields)
• Yield: 0.6 t/ha (0.4–0.8 t/ha)
• Gross margin loss: -€330/ha
• Drought and pests won this round. No better luck next time, end of this crop in this farm!
________________________________________

💡 Final Thoughts: Some crops shone, others struggled—season 23/24 was tough. Planning smarter for 2025 and hoping that the weather helps me!

📊Much longer version farmertonis.ee

👉 What do you think? Which crop surprised you the most?

#farmertonis #FarmingResults #Harvest2024 #CropYields #FarmerLife #AgricultureJourney #FieldNotes

Wintering is a crucial factor in determining the y

Wintering is a crucial factor in determining the yield of winter crops.

❄️ Lack of snow cover, alternating cycles of freezing and thawing, unfrozen ground, and excessive water under the snow all negatively impact wintering. Paul-Tech’s agricultural station makes it possible to monitor these conditions effectively.

📊 Paul-Tech analyzed the readings from my Murumäe winter wheat field, and here are the key findings:

• The first sharp drop in soil temperature this winter occurred on December 4th, caused by cold weather. The soil was not insulated by a thick snow cover, allowing the upper layers to cool rapidly.

• A warm spell beginning on December 19th completely thawed the soil by Christmas. While cold temperatures around the New Year caused slight freezing in the top layers, the impact was minimal. Fresh snowfall acted as an excellent insulator, and the low temperatures on January 4th and 6th (-13.2°C and -12.3°C) had no significant effect. The ground remained soft beneath the snow in early January.

• The best indicator of whether the soil is frozen or thawed is its electrical conductivity (j). Values between 0 and 5 indicate fully frozen soil.

• The peak of soil freezing occurred on December 13th and 14th, when electrical conductivity (j) dropped sharply, signaling that the soil had frozen to a depth of 8 cm. After fluctuating temperatures and a period of positive values until New Year’s Eve, the freezing gradually began to retreat.

🤷As I’ve said before, there’s little I can do to control the weather. My yield depends on nature’s whims, but knowing what’s happening under the snow and in the soil gives me peace of mind—or, in this case, a sense of concern.
If the conditions stay the same – thick snow cover with melted ground underneath, I have to revise my fertilizing plan. Hopefully it won’t happen 😊

#farmertonis #PaulTech #partnership #WinterSoil #AgricultureTech #SoilMonitoring #FarmersLife #WinterCrops

By my wife's request. I don't think it is that bad

By my wife's request. I don't think it is that bad 😅

#farmertonis #farmerswife #FarmingLife #JohnDeere

It has been a rollercoaster ride and I hit some ne

It has been a rollercoaster ride and I hit some new lows, check out yourself!

#farmertonis #FarmingLife #farmingaccident #kubota #JohnDeere #horsch #volvo #icy #slippery #newholland #towtruck #jcb

My Christmas Tractor! Tractor: @wihuriagrielu Li

My Christmas Tractor!

Tractor: @wihuriagrielu
Lights: @joulutuled.ee
Place: @terminal_oil

#partnership #gift #farmertonis #visitjogeva

Life on the Field with @paultech_esoil Stations! 🌱

When Paul-Tech soil stations were installed on my field, I honestly couldn’t imagine how much data I’d get—or what to do with it. After nearly three months, some interesting patterns are emerging:

💧 Soil Water Insights
1️⃣ Veski Field: The “most boring graph ever” award goes to this field! Its heavy soil texture shows no changes in moisture since the station was installed. I even thought the station was broken, but the Paul-Tech team assured me it’s working. Turns out, this soil’s water-holding capacity is remarkable. No wonder it always yields well, even in drought years. 🌾

2️⃣ Murumäe Winter Wheat Field: With its lighter soil, moisture changes are noticeable after rainfall. Water quickly drains from the top layer (8 cm), but the deeper levels stay steady. Paul-Tech explained there’s a clay-rich horizon beneath the humus layer that retains water.

3️⃣ Oonurme Field: The opposite story here! The topsoil stays wetter than the lower layers. Since no tillage has been done here since autumn 2023, water moves more slowly downward. Plus, the upper layer’s water capacity is higher compared to Murumäe.

❄️The "spike" before December 15 indicates that bare soil experienced minus temperatures, causing the upper horizon to begin freezing.

🤔 What Do I Do With This Info?

I’ve realized how different fields can be, even when they seem similar.

These insights help me make better fertilization decisions, especially in dry years.

It’s fascinating to see how soil management impacts water movement—could no-till farming help retain moisture in the topsoil?

Learning as we go—stay tuned for more discoveries! 🚜✨

#farmertonis #PaulTech #SoilScience #PrecisionFarming #FarmingJourney #AgricultureInnovation

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