As soil-and-water-saving farming techniques become more popular in Scott County, the Scott SWCD provides producers with the right tools for the job with their robust equipment rental program. The equipment rental program is available to all landowners in Scott County to test and implement conservation projects without having to invest in expensive equipment.
Large equipment for rent
The large items on the rental list include two no-till drills, a cover crop interseeder, and a Brillion broadcast seeder. For further details on each piece and equipment rental pricing, visit our equipment rental main page.
The John Deere 1590 no-till drill and Great Plains 1006 NT no-till drill are optimal for planting cover crops, small grains, and soybeans. The Great Plains is also well suited for seeding native prairies. No-till farming leaves productive topsoil in place and crop residue in the fields. This in turn increases water infiltration in soil, which trickles down to healthier soil and reduced erosion. Both the Grain Plains and John Deere no-till drills work great for farmers getting into no-till, and for those farmers who have been doing no-till for years. Farmers interested in cover crops also have the option of using the no-till drills to seed cover crops directly into crop residue.
The Cover Crop Interseeder is most commonly used for seeding cover crops in between the rows of growing row crops. The interseeder is set up for 30 inch row spacing and can plant 2 rows of cover crops in between crop rows, and is typically done when corn is about knee high in June. Cover crops protect the ground from wind and rain while sequestering nutrients for the corn. As a special promotion in 2024 to encourage cover crop usage in the county, the Scott SWCD interseeder will be available to farmers free of charge!
The Brillion Sure Stand Seeder is an excellent choice for establishing native prairies or pastures. The equipment can also be used to seed filter strips, hayfields, CRP fields, and waterways. It has a planting width of 10 feet and two seed boxes, one suitable for large grass seed and another legume box for smaller seeds like legumes and switchgrass.
As part of the rental service, large pieces of rental equipment will be delivered right to your project site and picked up when finished.
For further details on each piece and equipment rental pricing, visit our equipment rental main page.
Small landscaping equipment for rent
In addition to large equipment, smaller, landscaping equipment is also available for rent.
Small equipment includes loppers & saws for site preparation, hand seeders for prairie seed establishment, weed wrenches for invasive species removal, and a drip torch for prairie burns.
If you're setting reminders on your calendar for weed or prairie maintenance, remember spring and fall! Prairies should be burned every 3-5 years to maintain a healthy ecosystem, ideally in early spring before grasses start greening up. It’s typically a very small window, but one that the Scott SWCD can assist with. For detailed information on spring prairie burns, visit our blog on the subject, or schedule a free site visit with a SWCD natural resources specialist.
Buckthorn is ubiquitous for out-competing native plants, over-crowding forested areas, and generally creating a messy, impenetrable layer of vegetation wherever it spreads. But despite it's resilience, there are ways to effectively remove it; one piece of that being removal with weed wrenches. Buckthorn is best removed in the late fall, but more details can be found on our blog about How to Remove Buckthorn.
The Scott SWCD’s rental program also includes the technical expertise of SWCD staff. Throughout the process, SWCD staff will assist with questions on equipment use, features, specifications, and more!
For information on rental rates, or to be added to the equipment rental schedule, call the Scott SWCD at 952-492-5425, or visit scottswcd.org/equipment-rental