2023 Fall Newsletter

Gaining Ground

insight and news with 21st century equipment

A NOTE FROM OWEN

to our valued friends & Customers...

It’s hard to believe that the growing season is coming to an end and harvest is almost upon us. The plentiful rain most of us have received this summer has been great…except for the hail that too often accompanied it. I hope you have missed most of the hail and have a great crop ahead of you this fall. As you have probably noticed, we have changed up the format of our quarterly customer newsletter starting with this edition. We have decided to make it less of a sales focus and feature more items of interest about our company, our employees and the customers we serve. We hope you enjoy the new direction.

With fall harvest upon us, it is a key time to make sure you are ready to properly collect your yield data. As I have said many times in the past, data is the key to fully leveraging data-centric technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) that are already in use today on several Deere machines. Both AI and ML process huge data dumps and connect the dots to provide insights. They suggest the best course of action to spur yield gains, optimize crop inputs, and manage irrigation, among other tasks.

The days of doing “more with more” … more fertilizer, more horsepower, more land, are over with. Today we need to do “more with less” … less water, less fertilizer, less herbicide and less land. Data enables us to do more with less, reduce risk and create more predictable results. As you prepare for fall harvest and you need help calibrating your yield monitor or brush up on how to use Combine Advisor™, don’t hesitate to contact one of our Precision Ag or Product Specialists.

We are now three months into the merger with the ten 4Rivers locations into 21st Century Equipment’s operations. After a very chaotic first couple of weeks, it feels like the dust is settling and we have returned to some semblance of normalcy. Nevertheless, we have lots of work to do in order to achieve the synergies that we believe will positively impact our ability to support you and your operations in the future. In Pueblo West, we have purchased land just east of the 4Rivers Construction location and will begin construction of a new 25,000 square foot facility as soon as the permitting process is complete. We have also narrowed down our land choices in the Fort Collins area with hopes to get started on a new facility in that area sometime soon.

The construction of a new facility in Sterling is finally underway after both permitting issues and excessive rain held us up for a month or so. Once the new facility is complete, we will convert Sterling’s “Pepsi” building to a Technician Training Center to accelerate the development of new Service Technicians from across the company so that when they get to their home location, they can hit the ground running. Completion of the Sterling facility is planned for late spring 2024.

As you can see, there is a lot going on in our company. But at the end of the day, none of these activities would be possible if it was not for our customers. We truly do appreciate your business. To our new customers in Colorado and Wyoming, thank you for your understanding as we merged the two companies into one. As we move into the harvest season, on behalf of everyone here at 21st Century Equipment, I wish you a safe and bountiful harvest.

Sincerely,

Owen Palm President/CEO

A Mission to Grow

21st Century Equipment names Mike Wemhoff as new Vice President of Precision Ag

21st Century Equipment welcomed Mike Wemhoff to the team as the Vice President of Precision Ag Technology in June. Wemhoff brings a wealth of experience in the software development industry, including 14 years of work with John Deere. His new venture with the company is marked by a mission to foster growth among his team and for the farmers 21st Century Equipment serves.

Wemhoff’s journey began with a deep-rooted connection to agriculture and an inherent knack for technology. He found his calling at the intersection of these two fields.

“I have a passion for agriculture and a passion for technology,” Wemhoff said. “Deere was embedded into my blood early on in my life.”

His professional journey took off during college at Northwest Missouri State University, where he earned a degree in Computer Science. He interned at John Deere, working on developing software for managing paperwork involved in equipment transfers across the Canadian and U.S. border during the summers of his junior and senior years. Following graduation, Wemhoff received an offer from Cerner Corporation, a leading healthcare company based in Kansas City. Here, he honed his software development skills. After three successful years, he embarked on a new adventure with John Deere Credit in Des Moines, Iowa. In this role, he became the primary developer for the rating side of the crop insurance division.

Wemhoff’s expertise caught the attention of Intelligent Solutions Group (ISG) at John Deere, where he managed the Systems Integration and Test Team. In this role, he made significant contributions to the development of cutting-edge technology, including the operations center, mobile app adoption and integration of soil maps. Notably, his accomplishments include adding a software component for internal automated testing before technology was delivered to the customer. This enabled more efficient and reliable software validation, ensuring the technology provided tangible value to end-users.

The opportunity to lead the wholesale software development team at John Deere Financial further demonstrated Wemhoff’s ability to grow teams and drive results. However, his journey did not stop there. Drawn by new challenges, Wemhoff assumed the role of Director of Product Development at Telligen, a health management company focused on improving healthcare outcomes for Medicaid and Medicare programs.

Now, as the Vice President of Precision Ag Technology, Wemhoff is poised to bring his extensive expertise and passion to this exciting role. When asked about his motivation, Wemhoff emphasizes the importance of providing value to society.

“One thing I always want to do with any work that I’m involved in is know that I’m providing value to the world. I’ve been lucky enough in my career to work in the healthcare industry and in the agriculture industry, which are both either helping people stay healthy, or helping feed the world,” Wemhoff said.

Wemhoff’s key responsibilities in his new role include promoting the value of precision ag technology and driving adoption among growers. He aims to showcase success stories that demonstrate how these advancements can revolutionize the agricultural landscape.

“Ultimately, success to me is seeing people grow and seeing our growers’ businesses grow. I want to see professional development among my team, and I want them to know that the work they’re doing is valuable,” Wemhoff said.

Wemhoff and his family relocated from Des Moines, Iowa to Scottsbluff, Nebraska in late July. He has been married to his wife, Anne, for 18 years, they have three children—Gavin, Hannah and Leighton.

With a remarkable career history, a dedication to providing value and a commitment to empowering others, Wemhoff is poised to make a lasting impact on the 21st Century Equipment team.

behind the wheel

The Legacy of Chesnut Farms: A Century of Family, Farming and Growth

The story of Chesnut Farms is one of hard work and generations united by a shared passion for farming. From its beginnings in 1918, the family-owned farm in Kersey, Colorado has evolved over the decades. At the heart of the journey are the Chesnut family members. Kevin and Julie have four sons: Dawson, Riley, Brody and Duke. Dawson and Riley, along with their young families, run the farm most closely with their father Kevin, while the youngest brother Duke helps with the cattle.

The Chesnut family came to Colorado in 1918 when Kevin’s grandfather, the farm’s founder, left Illinois due to bootlegging around the time of prohibition. He hit the road to Colorado where he began making his own moonshine and taking it from Kersey to Masonville every weekend in a horse and wagon. Settling in the Centennial State, he eventually transitioned from bootlegging to farming.

Kevin Chesnut, the youngest of his siblings and the grandson of the farm’s founder, emerged as the driving force behind Chesnut Farms’ modern transformation. Initially, he took over the farm’s operations from his uncles and cousins. At the age of 16, he stepped up to manage the farm when others were not interested. Together with his mother, he helped build the foundation the farm has today.

John Deere’s equipment and technology played a significant role in Chesnut Farms’ success story. Corey Covelli, the family’s trusted 21st Century Equipment salesman, became a valued partner and friend to the Chesnuts, guiding them through technology adoption and equipment decisions.

“Corey is pretty much family around here,” Dawson said. “We do a lot more than just buy tractors from him; he’s been here for a long time.”

Both Dawson and Riley remember getting their first tractor with GPS on it. It was the only tractor they ever drove, and they would attach all their implements to it. Now, almost everything the Chesnuts run is GPS-ready.

Today, the Chesnuts continue their centennial legacy with their two, soon to be three, grandchildren. To Kevin and Julie, it means the world to watch their grandchildren grow up on the farm.

“You just work all your life for what you’ve got, and you want to give it to somebody,” Kevin said.

Looking forward, Riley and Dawson both envision a future where their children continue the farming tradition, instilled with the same values of hard work and perseverance they have gained.

From left to right: Riley Chesnut with his daughter, Rowan, and Dawson Chesnut with his son, Wayne.

Influencer Spotlight

Chesnut Farms Agrifilm

The Chesnut legacy in Kersey, Colorado extends beyond the farm. Shelby Chesnut, Dawson’s wife of five years, has built a successful agricultural photography and drone videography business. CF Agrifilm got its start when Shelby’s husband, Dawson, received a drone for his 21st birthday. This drone was giant, not even fitting inside a cab of a tractor, but it helped spark Shelby’s interest in photography. Eventually investing in smaller drone and a high-quality camera, Shelby’s passion for photography took off, and people began taking notice of her work.

Corey Covelli, the salesman for Chesnut Farms, noticed that Shelby’s photos were more than just snapshots on the farm. He helped connect Shelby to the 21st Century Equipment marketing team, opening the door for a partnership. Shelby’s work has gained popularity due to her unique ability to capture dimension in her photos, which isn’t usually the case for stock photography.

“Dimension is something unique to my photos and I think that’s what makes my images valuable. It adds creativity and uniqueness to my work,” Shelby said.

Shelby’s photography has been widely published in the Cultivating Colorado Magazine, Real Ag Stock, Staheli West productions, and more. She is also a four time winner of the Colorado Department of Ag Annual Photo Contest.

Cultivated Coffee Co.

A testament to Shelby’s multifaceted creativity is the birth of another significant venture: Cultivated Coffee Co. This endeavor stands as Kersey’s first drive-thru coffee shop located at 509 Hill Street. The anticipated opening is in late November, with construction scheduled for completion by the end of October.

Cultivated Coffee Co.’s name resonates with its deeprooted connection to agriculture. The coffee shop’s menu, ingeniously crafted, draws inspiration from the world of agriculture, featuring an array of specialty beverages such as the Haystack Latte, Farmer’s Delight Breve, Rancher’s Morning Latte, and more.

Are you interested in becoming a 21st Centruy Equipment Influencer? scan the qr code and fill out our request form!

CFAgrifilm and Cultivated Coffee Co. founder, Shelby Chesnut.

OUR LAVENDeR CO.

A Fourth Generation Corn Farm Embraces Lavender and Agritourism

In 1924, the first Palser settled on a plot of land in western Nebraska, laying the foundation for a successful four-generation farming operation. Grandfather Palser had a dream that, one day, the farm would become a place where people from all over the country could come for rest and relaxation. Decades later, his granddaughter, Stephanie Anderson, made that dream come to life when she stumbled upon lavender cultivation. Today, Our Lavender Co., founded by a mother-daughter trio, thrives as an agritourism destination with a popular product-line.

Getting Back to Her Roots

Stephanie, a self-described typical western Nebraska farmer’s daughter, initially sought to escape the farm life. However, after starting a family and returning home, she faced the heavy weight of postpartum depression. Stephanie’s family rallied around her and supported her in rediscovering a passion for agriculture. They even built her a beautiful garden and converted a camper into a makeshift greenhouse.

“It was the dead of winter and I escaped to this little camper every day to tend to baby tomatoes. Through the process of growing these little tomato plants, God brought me back to life. This agriculture that I wanted so desperately to escape is what healed me,” Stephanie said.

Discovering Lavender

As Stephanie’s passion for agriculture continued to grow, she began experimenting with all different kinds of plants. Her interest in lavender was eventually sparked by an article in The Reader’s Digest about a Lavender Farm in Sequim, Washington owned by a man named Victor.

“The article talked about seven acres, and I thought seven acres cannot raise a family and hire employees, that just doesn’t happen,” Stephanie said. “I thought, ‘if lavender has the potential to do what this article says it can do, I need to figure out how to grow it.’”

The first three criteria for growing lavender that popped up on Stephanie’s initial google search were: high PH, sandy soil and drought-like conditions. Stephanie may not have considered herself an expert farmer, but she knew that those three conditions were what her father had complained about her entire life while managing the corn farm.

When Stephanie approached her family with the idea, she could not have envisioned Our Lavender Co. would become all that it is today, but once again, her family supported her endeavors, joining in on the research.

“Mom started googling right alongside me, and with a lot more gumption than me, called Victor from the article and just asked him how to grow lavender,” Stephanie said.

The mother-daughter trio ended up on a flight to Sequim, Washington to learn first-hand from Victor about what it takes to start a lavender farm. Armed with knowledge and an acre of lavender plugs, Our Lavender Co. was born in 2019.

From left to right: Nicole, Peggy and Stephanie

A Generational Dream Comes to Life

Stephanie’s grandfather’s dream of a “vacation on the farm” found realization thanks to Our Lavender Co. Through an RV membership program that offers unique overnight locations called Harvest Hosts, Our Lavender Co. has attracted hundreds of visitors from all over the country who are looking for a relaxing and beautiful location to stay.

Moreover, their handcrafted product line, including bath bombs, skincare, essential oils, and more, garnered immense popularity and is shipped to all 50 states. Their online shop witnessed a surge in demand during the pandemic, thanks to recommendations by popular YouTubers.

On top of drawing visitors from all of over the country, Our Lavender Co. was voted Best Passport stop of 2022 by Nebraska Tourism, will be featured in the next issue of Nebraska Life and will be part of a widely distributed subscription box.

Looking ahead, Our Lavender Co. aims to contribute to the U.S. lavender industry by helping to create a cooperative platform connecting growers with businesses. Stephanie envisions a future where lavender farming becomes more accessible in the U.S., bridging the gap between growers and end-users.

“One of our large-scale dreams is not to just have the product line, these fields and the agritourism, but to have that cooperative style of opportunity that helps connect growers in the U.S. with other U.S. businesses using lavender. There are many businesses that use lavender that have to buy internationally.”

The mission of Our Lavender Co. is that “the beauty of God would be seen in everything we grow, say and produce.” Their story showcases the power of perseverance, passion and innovation in creating a thriving agritourism destination and a lavender-based product line. 21st Century Equipment is proud to be a long-time partner with the Palser family!

@ourlavenderco

www.ourlavenderco.com

Stephanie Anderson at Our Lavender Co.

stay in the know with industry experts ‘herd’ on the podcast

Introduction to the FarmCast

21st Century Equipment is proud to launch the FarmCast – A podcast that invites you on a journey as we discuss the forefront of innovation and share compelling customer testimonials. Guiding our discussions for the initial episodes are: Mike Wemhoff, the Vice President of Precision Ag, and Precision Ag Consultant Scott Osborne. With their wealth of experiences and expertise, get ready for enlightening conversations that dive deep into the heart of industry insights.

The FarmCast Episode #1 – The Future of Precision AG

In the first episode of the FarmCast, Scott and Mike delved into the world of precision agriculture and its implications for the future of farming. The discussion revolved around how farming practices have evolved over time, with an emphasis on the role of data and technology in shaping modern agriculture, including the rise of autonomous machines.

Precision agriculture, as they explain, is all about harnessing the power of data to optimize farming practices. Data is gathered from various sources, including farm machinery, and is analyzed to provide insights that guide decision-making for both the current growing season and the future ones. While Scott and Mike acknowledge the evolution of farming hardware, they emphasize that the real game-changer lies in the software and data aspects.

In this episode, Mike and Scott also agree that observing autonomous machinery in action is an awesome experience. However, this technological wonder is not without challenges. From a software perspective, ensuring flawless execution is essential. Rigorous field trials and proven success stories lend credibility to the concept of autonomy. Profitability and productivity are the overarching drivers behind the journey towards autonomy.

From left to right: Scott Osborne, Mike Wemhoff and Isabel Dronby

The FarmCast Episode #2 – New Technology

In this episode, the conversation kicks off with the groundbreaking advancements of See & Spray Ultimate. This technology has quickly captured the attention of agricultural communities in Eastern Colorado, Western Nebraska and Eastern Wyoming. Scott and Mike highlight the success that See & Spray Ultimate has achieved, not only in reshaping spraying practices but also in optimizing input cost savings. Its precision and efficiency have set it apart from traditional methods.

The conversation shifts to AutoTrac Turn Automation. Scott and Mike underline the significance of this technology as a stepping stone toward full autonomy. They discuss how farmers are embracing this automation, growing from initial skepticism to full trust in the technology’s reliability and precision. They further explore the potential of this automation extending to other machinery, envisioning a future where the application of automation becomes more widespread.

As the discussion unfolds, Scott and Mike delve into ExactShot technology—an innovation that has the potential to revolutionize planting practices. This technology introduces a new level of precision by applying treatments directly to seeds during planting, leading to significant savings in input costs. Similar to See & Spray Ultimate, Scott and Mike believe that ExactShot is poised to become a standard practice, offering not only efficiency gains but also a more sustainable approach to planting.

In the closing segments of the episode, Scott and Mike offer a glimpse into the future of precision agriculture. They anticipate the release of G5 displays, the StarFire 7000 GPS system and AutoPath, all of which promise to push the boundaries of precision even further.

expertconnect tm

We are excited to launch ExpertConnect, our latest support tool designed to enhance your communication with 21st Century Equipment. With ExpertConnect, getting the assistance you need has never been easier!

ExpertConnect has a free mobile app that you can use to submit support tickets directly to our teams. Scan the QR code to register with your mobile phone number today!

‘Ahead of the game’

Jaxson Eskam Excels after Completing Ag Tech Program

Jaxson Eskam, a recent graduate of Southeast Community College (SCC) in Milford, NE, wasted no time in launching his John Deere career. As a member of the John Deere Ag Technician Program, the 20-year-old didn’t have to go through the usual job-hunting process or worry about student debt burden.

“I feel like I’m ahead of the game,” Jaxson said. “This program has given me a head start financially. I don’t have any school debt or student loans.”

Born and raised on a family farm, Jaxson always had a passion for mechanical work and knew he wanted to return to the agriculture industry. During his senior year at Scottsbluff High School, he enrolled in the Diesel Program, where he first learned about the Ag Tech Program at 21st Century Equipment. As part of the program, Jaxson and his classmates explored various businesses in Scottsbluff and Gering, learning about scholarship programs and career prospects.

“When we came to 21st Century Equipment, and I learned about the program, it was a no-brainer,” Jaxson said.

Jaxson’s educational journey continued after graduating from Scottsbluff High School when he enrolled in the diesel tech program at SCC. This decision set him on the path to becoming a qualified technician. Through a collaboration with 21st Century Equipment, the program provided Jaxson with additional hands-on experience through practical work at the dealership.

One of the most valuable aspects of the two-year program for Jaxson was the opportunity to dive into projects without fear of making mistakes. Working closely with experienced instructors created an ideal learning environment, allowing Jaxson to refine his skills as a technician and feel confident about starting his career after graduation.

“We covered every aspect of the work we do in the shop – air conditioning, heating, powertrains, engines, transmission and more,” Jaxson said. “My favorite part was when we completely disassembled, reassembled and test-ran an engine.”

With a few months of experience at the Scottsbluff location, Jaxson is settling in well. He appreciates the friendly and relaxed atmosphere, as well as the mutual support among colleagues who are always willing to lend a hand.

For anyone on the fence about joining the program, Jaxson offers this advice: “Go for it because agriculture is everywhere, and the opportunities are endless.”

About The Program

The 21st Century Equipment two-year diesel Ag Tech Program works with participating John Deere regional colleges and our own partner community colleges to offer students the chance be a part of our team and grow the possibilities for a career as a service technician. Students learn the ins-and-outs of John Deere technology, systems and more, get first-hand experience and learn from a team that takes great pride in what they do.

Scan the QR code to learn more about our Ag Tech Program!

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21st Century Equipment

Corporate Headquarters

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our locations

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Wyoming

Cheyenne 7917 Hutchins Dr. (307) 638-8669

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(307) 223-1098

Torrington 5180 US-26

(307) 532-7071