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Types of Farm Equipment and Their Uses

Modern farmers have different equipment options for various annual activities. From high-tech combine harvesters to simple tractors, the different farm equipment can meet the needs of small-scale homesteaders and industrial-size farming operations. However, it can be challenging to keep track of all the options. New farmers especially may wonder what the different types of farming machinery are for. For small- and mid-size farms, determining the types of farming machinery you may need to make your operations more efficient can be frustrating.

While all the equipment available may seem confusing, knowing about the basic farm equipment options can be an enormous help. If you're looking into purchasing new or used farm equipment, take a look at this guide. We'll review the different types of agricultural machines, their uses and some options for small, mid-size and large-scale farming operations.

Farming Vehicles
Of the different types of farm equipment and their uses, vehicles are the most important and represent the largest investment. While a truck is often a staple of farming life, several other farm-specific vehicles exist.

1. Tractors
The tractor is ubiquitous in the farming world and comes in various sizes to fit any farming operation. The primary purpose of a tractor is to pull farm equipment, but modern tractors can be outfitted with multiple attachments to suit just about any farming need. For this reason, tractors are common-sense purchases for small and large-scale farmers alike.

There are several types of tractors, including the following:

• Compact tractors: Compact tractors are small, high-powered tractors that can assist with all the basic functions needed on a farm or home. They are ideal for material handling and working in tight spaces where traditional tractors can't fit.

• Wheeled tractors: Wheeled tractors are general-purpose tractors that help you get the most out of your machinery. These utility tractors can meet various demands and be outfitted for tilling, material handling and equipment pulling. Wheeled tractors come with a range of horsepower, lifting capacity, control and cab-style options, allowing you to choose the best option for your applications.

• Track tractors: Track tractors are farming vehicles mounted with tracks instead of tires, allowing them to plow fields with more power while providing a smoother ride for the operator.

• Specialty Crop tractors: Specialty crop tractors are designed, or can be specially adapted, with features to work optimally in orchards and vineyards. These slender tractors can more easily fit between lines of trees and vines while still providing the power needed for landscaping and maintenance.

Attachments allow tractors to become universal machines capable of getting anything done . For more details on the types of attachments available and what they do, see the section covering tractor attachments.

2. Combines and forage harvesters
In nothern California and Oregon, combines are commonly used for rice and grass seed, but you can also use combines and forage harvesters for other purposes on a farm. Even small-scale farmers can significantly benefit from using a combine or forage harvester. These massive pieces of machinery use a complex system of gears, blades, belts and wheels to turn cereal crops into grain. Combines accomplish this through three primary processes:

• Reaping: Reaping is cutting the plant, accomplished by the header, reel and cutter bar on the combine. The header gathers the crops while the reel pushes them toward the cutter bar, which cuts the crops at their base.

• Threshing: Threshing is the process of separating the edible parts of the crop from the nonedible parts. This is accomplished by the threshing drum, which beats the cut crops to separate the grains from their stalks. Threshers can also be individual attachments that you can use on a tractor. Some threshers can come with a bagger, while others discharge grains using conveyors.

• Winnowing: Winnowing separates light chaff from the grain, usually accomplished while the grain is in the threshing drum. Chaff is generally separated from the grain through the use of sieves.

There is a vast array of combines and combine attachments to meet the needs of any farm. Many newer combines can even track yield data, showing which areas of the field did well and which did poorly so that these issues can be addressed the following year.

3. Atv, rtv, and utv
All-terrain vehicles, also known as ATVs or four-wheelers, are becoming increasingly common on farms of all sizes, as are utility vehicles or UTVs. These smaller vehicles can move across rough terrain more effectively than most road vehicles and more quickly than a typical tractor. Additionally, several types of attachments will work for these vehicles, including small trailers, spreaders and mowers.

Tractor Attachments
Tractor attachments are attached to tractors or pulled behind them to add a new level of functionality. Their uses range widely from soil management to seeding. The different types of farm machinery attachments are detailed below.