Family farms have been at the heart of rural France for generations, nourishing communities with healthy food while safeguarding agricultural traditions and local identity. As the agricultural landscape evolves with technological advancements and market uncertainties, these family farms face unique challenges in maintaining their viability and profitability. With the advent of autosteering technologies like those from FJDynamics, they are changing their age-old farming practices and thriving in today's agricultural world.
The Inheritance of Family Farm
Antonin Bonnart, a 19-year-old farmer, works alongside his father on their family farm in the scenic Marne region of France. This beautiful area, known for its rolling hills and lush vineyards, serves as the perfect backdrop for their farming endeavors generation after generation.After completing his studies at an agricultural high school, Annotin joined his father in managing the family's farming business. Trained in agricultural sciences and mentored by his father, he began his agricultural career, which was not just a continuation of a legacy but also a chance for him to contribute new ideas and modern techniques to improve their operations.
"I enjoy this job because it allows me to touch the land and always be outside. Working with family, our boss is the sky, it's what guides us," said Antonin, talking about why he chose to engage in farming. "I love my job, and if I had to change, I don't know what I would do."
At their 93-hectare family farm, they grow typical crops found in the famous Champagne region. Among these are spring barley, wheat, rapeseed, sugar beets, corn, and alfalfa. These crops represent the essence of their farming operations and reflect the agricultural heritage of the Champagne region.
Progress Over Time
Antonin has been following the development of technology for several years. When considering purchasing a guidance system, he wants to make it a long-term investment. He envisions the guidance system being utilized in every aspect of his family farms, enhancing efficiency and productivity across the board.He gets to know the brand of FJDynamics through Alex de la Vienne, an internet influencer who always shares his farming ideas on social media platforms. Antonin reached out to the FJD's authorized distributor in his region and decided to give its autosteering systems a try.
"I had already used an auto-guidance system before buying one from FJDynamics. Because at the place where I worked before, they had one. So I already knew the principle of how an auto-guidance system works, it is not a completely new experience for me." explained Antonin. "For me, it's just a matter of getting used to a new brand and software."
"But the main reason for our purchase is the comfort of work, I must say so. It's much less tiring at the end of the day," Antonin continued. They purchased the FJD AT1 Autosteering Kits previously and were pleased with the systems' efficiency. To ensure compatibility with their old Fiat 100-90 and Deutz-Fahr 6150 tractors, they have upgraded the two AT1 systems to the more advanced AT2 systems.
"The family farm has been around for many generations. I couldn't tell you the name, but it's been a very long time. And from father to son each time, the evolution is still huge," said Antonin excitedly. "Because in just a few decades or more, we went from working with horses to now having air-conditioned tractors with auto-guidance. If my great-grandfather saw this, he wouldn't believe us."
Why Choose FJD Autosteering Systems?
Antonin understood that choosing the right technology is crucial; it should not only solve the immediate needs of the farm but also adapt to meet future demands. The FJD autosteering technology represents a breakthrough in precision agriculture, offering them transformative tools to enhance their farming practices.No Signal Loss
Antonin found that both the FJD AT1 and AT2 systems could guide tractors with almost the same accuracy as they all utilize advanced GNSS (including GPS) satellite technology for precise navigation. "But the AT2 has a more comfortable terminal, the software is much easier to use. And the AT2 only requires one antenna instead of two, greatly reducing the complexity of wiring. Overall, the AT2 is much better than the AT1," said Antonin, referring to the difference of the AT1 and AT2.In a large plain of the great Champagne region, there are no large obstacles like trees and big hills on Antonin's farm. However, they still have some small fields in the woods that may affect the satellite signal of an autosteering system. "But this is not a problem with the AT2, we never lose the signal even when we pass along the trees. The navigation accuracy has always been perfect even with trees, so we never worry about this signal problem."
Consistent Accuracy
When Antonin talked about his experience regarding the system's accuracy, he gave a specific example that showed the technology's effectiveness. He pointed towards a field of rapeseed that had been planted with a 12-row Monosem planter one week ago. The FJD AT2 ensured that the seeds were sown with remarkable consistency, helping the planter maintain an even spacing of 45 centimeters between each row.As for diagonal plowing, Antonin was also impressed by AT2's reliable precision in lines. "Since the field has already been plowed once, diagonally in the other direction there. So it makes a cross, the tractor takes a few bumps and vibrations. But even with that, we only had 0.001 sometimes 0.002 in deviation within the range of 2cm. It's tolerable, especially for work like this. Precision maintaining in line is great, there's nothing to say about it."
Reduced Labor Burden
When transitioning from one row to the next, Antonin often disabled the auto-guidance system and decided where to turn by himself. He usually turned halfway down the row, using his judgment for distance and angle. When he got to that spot, he turned on the guidance system, letting the tractor steer itself and follow the set path accurately. All he had to do was monitor the machine's performance and operations as the tractor drove forward.Among those practical features of the AT2, one that particularly stood out to Antonin was the line change function. In his previous experience using the AT1, any time he needed to change the line, he had to quit his ongoing task, navigate back to the appropriate settings, make the line adjustment, and then restart the task from where he had left off. But with a single button press in the AT2, the line would automatically be changed without disrupting the workflow.
By using the AT2's guidance line translation function, he could reset the line based on the tool width, with an offset shifted to the left or right by a certain number of centimeters. "When I want to use the same line again, it goes back to where it was before. I don't need to reset it because it remembers where I set it last time, and that's helpful," Antonin said while summarizing his work on a plot of 5.41 hectares with a 3.5-meter tool width, which was narrowed down to a little bit to minimize overlaps.
Extensive Compatibility
When standing in the recently planted rapeseed plot, Antonin showcased a 40-year-old Fiat tractor that was installed with the FJD AT2, along with an angle sensor attached to the tire for better precision. "We can see that the seeding accuracy is impeccable, and the spacing between the seed drill is perfect. There is nothing to complain about. Even though it's a tractor that is almost 40 years old, there is no problem for it to adapt to a GPS system like the AT2."Integrated with the AT2 system, Antonin's 150-horsepower Deutz-Fahr 6150, a 10-year-old tractor, could also navigate the fields with the same level of accuracy and ease as the Fiat's. This enabled him to carry out more complex farming tasks while minimizing the physical strain that often accompanied such work.
Antonin found that the AT2 could perfectly work with these classic tractors from different manufacturers, giving them new efficiency with modern autosteering technology. "The AT2's electric steering wheel can not only be installed on this tractor but also be suitable for tractors of other brands. By replacing the ring device inside the steering wheel, it can be installed on any tractor."
Ease of Use
Thanks to the simple and intuitive software interface, Antonin and his father quickly adapted to the AT2 system and learned how to use it. Designed with ease of use in mind, the FJD autosteering systems make it easier even for those who know nothing about the automatic guidance system to get started quickly."My father is 58 years old and he managed to use the GPS on the AT2 very well. Even though he had never used it before. It's very simple and anyone can use it without any problem," said Antonin, standing at an 8-hectare rapeseed plot that was sown by his father using the AT2 with the Fiat 100-90 tractor last week.
The FJD AT2 auto steer system also features simple installation with minimal wiring to ensure a clean cab. "We dismantled quite a few things in the cabin. We lowered the cabin roof and removed a few of the decoratives…The terminal is quite ergonomic, it doesn't obstruct the view, and we can still see very well what's happening around."
FJD also offers other accessories to facilitate operations. One of the FJD accessories used by Antonin is Easy Switch. With this gadget installed on the armrest of their Fiat tractor, they could engage the guidance without having to press the button on the screen. "It's really a big advantage, like the majority of the commands we use today, we put the button on the armrest, so I don't need to look for a button elsewhere, everything is really here on the armrest."
Quick Technology Support
Whenever Antonin encountered problems using the FJD autosteering systems, he could always rely on the prompt and efficient technological support from FJD's local dealers. The skilled technicians were there to help him fix any technical issues swiftly, allowing him to continue his work without significant interruptions.Knowing that expert help was just a call away made a big difference in his overall satisfaction with the system. "The FJD's dealer has always been able to answer all our questions when we had some minor issues. They were there to solve the problems and do the updates when necessary. Frankly, we have not been disappointed at all in this regard."
While enjoying all the benefits from FJD's autosteering systems, Antonin also suggested a small improvement that could be made at the software level. "It would be better if the software allows us to sort the fields by farm. Because when we work on other farms, the software would display a long list of fields. If we can just click the farm to see all the fields, it will be easier for us to find the target fields."