Image Gallery
One		Two		Three		Four

“There are record yields out there, but you just can’t get at them with wheeled equipment,” said Jon Schumacher Jr., co-owner of Terra Works Inc. Due to unseasonable harvest-time rains, many farmers across the country were left with no other option but to wait for drier days or hope for ground-freezing temperatures. But not Schumacher and his father, Jon Sr. – who operate a Mina, S.D., custom harvesting business – they went right to work with their Lexion 575R track combine. “Most custom harvesters are running for cover, we are running into it,” Jon Jr. said.

Since the Schumachers knew 2009’s rainfalls might not be measured in inches, but rather bushels lost, the father and son duo purchased a Lexion 575R with rear wheel assist, a Cat Challenger tracked tractor and a tracked grain cart to haul grain out of soggy fields. “Butler Machinery of Aberdeen has been invaluable,” he said. “They have great customer service and the right equipment for any job.”

While the words “farming and island should never be used together in South Dakota,” Jon Jr. noted this year they’ve had to cross up to four feet of water to get to the soybeans.

“I never thought I’d be able to take a combine through that much water, but the Lexion track combines are up to the task,” he said. “While other farmers have tried duals, triples, floater tires and even aftermarket track systems, they still can’t touch what I can go through with the Lexion. It is an incredible machine.”

While others were left stuck in the mud, the sight of the Schumacher’s Lexion 575R cutting through the rain-soaked fields led local farmers to ask, “When can you start?”

Time and time again, the Schumacher’s Lexion proved up to the challenge, including one quarter that was almost completely covered with standing water. Although some areas of the field were up to the second step of the combine, Jon Jr. said he used the Lexion’s impressive track system to recover an average of 32 bushels to the acre out of the water.

Lending a helping hand, Schumachers assisted a Mellette-area farmer with harvesting the lion’s share of nearly 3,000 soybean acres out of severely flooded fields. One Aberdeen-area farmer that took advantage of the Schumachers’ services to bring in 150 acres of beans said “I just couldn’t get it done with my wheeled equipment.”

Schumacher recently compared his Lexion with a 30-foot header to a competitor’s combine with a 35-foot header. Working side by side in the same fields and despite having the smaller header, the Lexion still brought in 30% more acres. “That says a lot about this machine” Schumacher said.

Operating his equipment upwards of 16 hours a day, Schumacher noted the Lexion’s stable platform provides a much smoother ride.

“You can put any other machine next to the Lexion and I’d take the Lexion every time,” he said.

After rounding up more than 3,000 acres of soybeans, the first heavy snowfall of the season meant hooking up the corn head and going back out to help local farmers harvest their snow-covered fields. Fortunately, they have Butler Machinery there for support. “When you are running the machines in these conditions, proper maintenance is key,” he said. “That’s why we count on Butler. We can’t work without their support.”

Recently in need of assistance after hours, Jon Jr. called Butler and they had the service tech in the field within 30 minutes. “They’re not just an 8-to-5 business and neither are we,” he said. “They understand our needs.”

While this harvest season has yet to come to a close, there appears to be more work on the horizon as several local farmers are already asking them to come back next year. Jon Jr. said. “People know they can count on us and our Lexion equipment.”