When a dog convinces: how an Imants spading machine visibly improved soil structure
Sometimes new ideas emerge in the field. Sometimes during a demonstration. And sometimes, quite unexpectedly, during a walk with a dog.
That’s exactly how the story of an Imants B.V. spading machine began on a farm whose owner prefers to remain anonymous. And in this story, an unusual “advisor” plays a role: Goethe, the dog.
An image that sparked curiosity: soil structure visible in maize
The first impulse actually came much earlier. The farmer remembered an image he had once seen: a logo visible in a maize field. Where a spading machine had previously worked, the maize had grown noticeably better than in the rest of the field.
“That’s when I said: this must be related to the machine. Everything was worked the same, but exactly where the spading machine had worked, the maize was clearly taller.”
The explanation was obvious: the spading machine had broken up compaction in the subsoil and improved the soil structure. That thought stayed in the back of his mind.
From doubt to idea: spading machine instead of just subsoiling
The actual story, however, started much more simply.
The farmer was originally just on his way to pick up spare parts. But during a conversation, the topic of spading machines suddenly came up.
“All you need now is a spading machine,” he was told.
His first reaction? Skepticism.
A spading machine on his farm? At first, that didn’t seem to fit. After all, many farms in such situations rely on loosening tines or subsoiling tools to break up compaction.
Still, the idea stuck.
First see, then decide
For him, one thing was clear: you don’t buy a machine without seeing it first.
“I can’t buy something I don’t even know.”
So he started looking for an opportunity to test one. That turned out to be more difficult than expected; demo machines were hardly available. Eventually, an opportunity came up.
The unexpected moment
The decisive moment didn’t happen during a presentation or demonstration.
It happened in the field.
While work was ongoing, Goethe, the farm dog, walked across the field and did what dogs do, he started digging in the soil. In doing so, he uncovered a potato.
“The dog just started digging and put the potato down, and I could see how it had reacted to this cultivation,” the farmer later described.
At that moment, it became visible how the soil had changed where the Imants spading machine had worked even though this change wasn’t yet visible on the surface.
The soil structure was clearly different than expected.
When practice convinces
From that moment on, the farmer started looking more closely.
He observed soil structure, water movement and crop performance on the treated areas.
What stood out was how clearly differences in plant growth and soil structure could be seen.
In potato cultivation as well, it later became clear where the spading machine had worked and where it hadn’t. The cultivation was more uniform and the crop visibly responded to it.
A technology that doesn’t always fit the system immediately
That’s exactly why this story is interesting. Because initially, the farmer didn’t consider a spading machine as a solution for his farm at all.
In many situations, farms first turn to subsoiling tools with tines comparable to a WX system to break up compaction.
A spading machine, however, follows a different approach: it loosens, mixes and restructures the soil at the same time.
This can offer advantages especially where compaction, varying soil layers or structural issues play a role.
Spading machine or subsoiling: when to use which?
On many farms, subsoiling with tines is the first option considered when dealing with compaction. These tools can break up compacted layers and loosen the soil.
A spading machine, however, works according to a different principle.
While loosening tines mainly tear and lift the soil, a spading machine actively loosens, mixes and restructures it. Crop residues, organic material or green manure are evenly incorporated, while the natural soil structure is preserved.
A spading machine can be particularly interesting in situations such as:
• soil compaction or varying soil layers
• incorporating crop residues or organic material evenly
• when a uniform soil structure is required for seedbed preparation
• when combining multiple operations, such as soil cultivation and seeding in one pass
In some cases, both techniques can even be combined effectively. Subsoiling using WX tines or together with the Culter subsoiler can break up compaction. The spading machine then ensures uniform loosening and restructuring of the soil.
The key difference:
A spading machine doesn’t just loosen the soil. It creates a uniform and stable soil structure.
Especially on heavier soils or where structural issues occur, this combination of loosening and spading can be particularly valuable.
And that was exactly the effect that ultimately made the difference in this case.
👉 Read more about soil cultivation with Imants spading machines here.
A decision triggered by something unexpected
In the end, the decision was made in favor of an Imants spading machine.
Not because of a brochure.
Not because of a sales conversation.
But because of what was seen in the field.
And, in part, because of Goethe.
“In the end, we said: now we don’t have to think any longer. Let’s do it.”
Sometimes it pays to take a second look
This story shows one thing above all: not every machine fits your farm at first glance.
But sometimes it’s worth taking a closer look or simply testing what a machine actually does in the soil.
Because that’s where the truth lies: in soil structure, crop growth and real-world experience.
And sometimes, all it takes is a bit of coincidence.
Or a dog that starts digging at exactly the right moment.
See for yourself what happens in the soil
This farm’s experience also shows: the effects of soil cultivation are not always immediately visible on the surface. Often, they become visible in the soil itself or later in crop growth.
That’s exactly why many farmers choose to test a machine in their own fields first.
👉 Would you like to see for yourself what an Imants spading machine can do on your land?
We regularly organize demonstrations on farms in different regions. We would be happy to visit your farm and explore together whether and how the machine could fit into your system.
Feel free to contact us for a demonstration. Because in the end, what truly convinces is what you see in your own field.
Translated from German
