It’s been said that knowledge is power and information is liberating. That certainly holds true for the cloud-based REAP app. Using Bluetooth® wireless technology, REAP automatically connects to any iPad or iPhone to provide weight readings in real time from your grain cart or gravity wagon that can be used in the field or in the office.
Jason Nagel, who uses REAP on his farm near Gettysburg, South Dakota, says they’ve gone from having a notebook in the tractor and writing down weights to sharing all their harvest data on the cloud.
“We basically can focus on the task at hand and not worry about our record keeping,” he says. “Things just flow a lot better. A huge benefit of the REAP app is being able to see the data immediately. It goes from combine operator to the grain cart operator to the truck driver, so everybody is on the same page.”
According to Nick Von Muenster, President of Scale-Tec, the REAP app carries the potential to entirely automate the harvest weight record-keeping process, depending on what scale system a farmer is using. It also can turn any connected tablet or smartphone into an indicator and can receive live weight readings directly from the grain cart at distances of 500 to 1,000 feet away.
“Whether it’s used in the field during harvest, in the truck during grain transport, or back in the office for documentation, REAP provides a wealth of benefits that isn’t limited to just one or two features,” Von Muenster adds, while pointing out just some of the ways REAP can help:
- Track harvest data. REAP allows growers to record grain cart yield data for an unlimited number of field and farm names. In addition, the REAP app can record and accumulate data from any number of grain carts. Weight can be converted into dry bushels by either entering the moisture content on the app or, if you have a scale system that integrates with moisture-sensing technology, the app will convert it automatically.
Von Muenster is quick to note that, in addition, farmers have complete control over their information. “Nobody can collect or access the data unless the farmer chooses to share it with another person, such as an insurance agent,” he says.
- Segregate yield plots or custom-harvested fields. REAP is invaluable when harvesting test plots or fields with unique hybrids or varieties. Whether you’re weighing test plots individually in the grain cart or harvesting a non-GMO crop that’s going into a separate bin, REAP provides you with the exact yield. Plus, REAP is ideal for custom harvesters who need to log total yields for multiple fields and/or customers.
- Avoid overloading or under-loading trucks. Nothing puts a damper on harvest like a fine for having an overloaded truck. However, under-loaded trucks can be just as costly if you’re making extra trips with trucks that aren’t filled to capacity. REAP lets you know exactly how much is on a truck.
- Track your inventory. Whether a crop is going to on-farm storage or being delivered to a co-op or local elevator, the REAP app provides a total inventory report, showing a list of all loads deposited at each location. That means you always know when grain bin capacities are reaching their limits or contracts are close to being fulfilled with commodities directly out of the field.
- Improve office management. Because REAP users can access and store information in the cloud-based dashboard, they have a record of all grain movement while also being able to reconcile grain deliveries and generate reports, such as those needed for crop insurance claims. Having the ability to direct trucks as they come out of a field also saves time, eliminates extra trips, and keeps harvest equipment moving efficiently.
- Calibrate the yield monitor. It’s easy to compare the yield recorded by the combine yield monitor to the actual weight recorded by REAP. We also offer integration of REAP with the John Deere Operations Center, which allows farmers to see a direct comparison of yield data and make any necessary adjustments in calibration.
“I would say the most valuable aspect of REAP, though, is the fact that it gives the grower another data end point that is reconcilable,” Von Muenster says. “If you’re just going by the yield monitor to calculate how much you have in storage without weighing it … or you’re relying on what somebody wrote down during harvest, you could be off by as much as 10 percent or more,” he explains. “REAP provides what I call the ‘in-between’ number. It gives you more marketing capability because you now have a very accurate figure of how much you have in storage. And, when it comes time to sell or deliver that grain, you have a way to reconcile that what you’re taking out matches what the app said you had in the bin. We consistently see this number matching the weight that the grain cart recorded, at an accuracy rating of 99 percent or higher.”
Contact us today to put REAP to work for you. Our support team will help you determine how REAP can integrate with your scale system and answer any questions you may have. For more information about REAP, check out the REAP product page or read through some Frequently Asked Questions about REAP.
