KSR Equipment July/August 2017

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ksrequipment.com

805 E. Howard St. Pontiac, IL 61764 Phone: 815-842-1149 Pontiac

29987 N 300 East Road Streatror, IL 61364 815-673-4320 Streator

1501 5th St. Lacon, IL 61540 309-246-2645 Lacon

It Runs in the Family

Why I Love Being a John Deere Dealer

Selling John Deere equipment has been a part of my family for generations. Four, to be exact. My great-grandfather was a Deere dealer, my grandfather was, my father and uncle were, and now here I am. I guess sometimes, as they say, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Some people might be apprehensive about following in their family’s footsteps, but I have to say, I’m grateful that things have turned out the way they have. I love being a partner at KSR Equipment, working with the greatest team and customers anybody could ask for. One of my favorite aspects of being a John Deere dealer is the challenge. Finding the best solution for any given customer can be a real puzzle. Whether they’re a small-time lawn and garden hobbyist just looking for the right tool for their backyard,

inside and out. I steer them to the machines that will address their problem and provide the greatest possible value. This gets even more complicated when you factor in the rapid advancement of farming technology. It’s a field that looks completely different every two to three years, and that’s without the constantly shifting regulations. Even when you’ve been in the business as long as I have, you have to work to keep up. The work is never stagnant. Really, though, it’s all about the people. In a family-oriented business like KSR, you get the opportunity to form some powerful personal relationships, both with your staff and your customers. I have customers that I’ve been working with for 30 years. It’s wonderful to watch families grow along with their operations and get the opportunity to work with the next generation. You meet a variety of people in this line of work, and I love talking to each and every one of them. Outside of work, I try to spend as much time as possible with my wife, Karla, and our three kids, Matt Jr., Grace, and Reed. Matt Jr. just graduated from Illinois State University in agricultural business, Grace is studying accounting at ISU, and Reed will be a senior at Roanoke Benson High School this fall. We’re all planning a trip to Florida in late June, which will be a welcome opportunity to catch up and relax. With my sons, our favorite pastime is drag racing, of all things — big horsepower and loud engines. I worked on my earliest cars when I was 12, and I guess here again, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. - Matt Aeschleman ksrequipment.com | P1

or an owner of a massive farming enterprise

searching for expert advice on the best premium tractors, I need

to know the equipment

July/August 2017

Keep Your Child’s Mind Active With This Fun Summer Experiment! Grow Crystals With Your Kids

A mentally sedentary summer can cause your child’s learning to stagnate and backslide, erasing the equivalent of as much as two months of in-school learning. But you can have fun with your kid this summer and help them learn at the same time. Take this project from sciencebob.com for example, which demonstrates how geodes are formed in real life, and gives a primer on the science of crystals. The results are stunning! All you need are some clean eggshells, water, several different soluble materials (salt, sugar, baking soda, borax, cream of tartar), coffee cups, spoons, food coloring, and egg cartons. First, crack the eggs as close to the narrow end as possible. Then, clean the eggshells in hot water, which allows you to pull the skin out of the inside. Place the shells in an egg carton lined with wax paper to hold them upright. Boil the water and pour half a cup into each coffee mug, followed by ¼ cup of one of

the soluble materials, stirring until it dissolves. Keep adding the solid slowly u the water is supersaturated — this simply means that the water has absorbe it can and any additional solid won’t dissolve. Then, add food coloring to the solutions. See what creative color combination your child can come up with. Carefully pour the solution into an eggshell, filling it as full as you can without the solution overflowing or the egg tipping over. As the water evaporates (be patient!) crystals will begin to form inside the eggshells. But how? As the water is heated, it expands, allowing more space for the dissolved solution. When it cools and evaporates, that space goes away, and solids are forced to become solid again. See, science is fun and educational! Check out further science experiments sciencebob.com , sciencekids.co.nz , or redtri.com/classic-science-experimen

Rick Leonard Cheryl McMichael Employee Highlight Client Testimonial

“Thirty years of quality equipment, quality parts, and service from quality people! This will be 31 years of farming, and I have not had anything but positive experiences with KSR Equipment.

Cheryl McMichael is the service writer for our Streator location. She has been a part of the KSR family since 2004. Cheryl’s background includes working at her parent’s forklift company in various departments up until her arrival here. Cheryl has one son and one daughter and resides in Peru, Illinois. Her hobbies include home renovation, crafts, yardwork, and spending time with her dog, Rufus.

“I’ve always received good customer service from the sales, service, and parts departments. I’ve also been satisfied with every piece of equipment I’ve bought. Every time I trade up, there’s always an improvement in the quality and efficiency of the product. I’m always impressed with the features of each piece I purchase, whether it be for my farming operations or home use. “I’d recommend KSR to anybody. I don’t have any complaints — and I can complain!”

Since Cheryl McMichael has joined KSR Streator as a service writer, she has quickly become an extremely valuable asset to our daily functions. Her steady, calm demeanor provides stability and consistency in our customer experience. Over the years, her adaptability has allowed her to assist in service management, handle customer inquiries, coordinate billing, and delegate service work to techs. KSR tries to make sure we are the dealer that you can trust for an honest, consistent, and courteous customer experience that provides value, and Cheryl McMichael embodies these qualities for KSR on a daily basis.

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Maximize Your Yields With KSR’s

New Soil Testing Service

Have a Cow! The reason we soil test is to measure the soil’s nutrient holding capacity and the amount of available nutrients that are in the soil to feed the plant. KSR Equipment is dedicated to providing the absolute best ag support to our customers through a range of product offerings and knowledge of how those products perform. The reason we’re able to provide such a high level of service is because of the people providing that support. Our customers deserve to have the most knowledgeable people alongside them, providing guidance on what will work best for their operation. As part of our continued growth and investment in our company, KSR Equipment hired Jason DeWalt of DeWalt Crop Services in February. Jason is a certified crop advisor in Illinois and brings a wealth of knowledge about agronomy, soil sampling, nutrient application, crop scouting, and the crop cycle in general to KSR Equipment. With the addition of Jason to our team, KSR Equipment will now be offering soil testing as an added service to growers. We will do the soil sampling and mapping, and then send the soil samples in to a lab. We can then either share the results with your ag service provider or agronomist for them to make the soil fertility recommendation or KSR will be working with Total Soil Management to provide variable rate soil test recommendations. Jason will oversee this service for KSR as he has been doing soil testing and mapping since 2005.

The macronutrients that the lab tests for are Phosphorous (P), Potassium (K), Calcium (Ca), Magnesium (Mg), and Sulfur (S). The micronutrients that the lab tests for are Boron (B), Copper (Cu), Iron (Fe), Manganese (Mn), Zinc (Zn), and Sodium (Na). However, the most important test they run is the soil pH. If the pH is not in the proper range of 6.2 to 7.2 for most crops, you are going to limit the uptake of all the available nutrients in the soil, which could also affect how well your soil applied chemicals work. There are a couple ways to map out where to take the soil samples, grid sampling, or zone sampling. The majority of the fields that are tested are done by grid sampling. You boundary the field and split it up into equal size grids and take five soil probes of soil in the center of the grid and

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mix into one sample. Grid sizes are 2.5 ac, 3.3 ac, 5 ac, 6.6 ac, or 10 ac grids. Zone sampling is done by creating zones based on soil type and/or yield maps and pulling five or six soil probes of soil within each zone and mixing into one sample. We are very excited to offer this new service to our customers. If you are interested in learning more about soil testing, contact Jason at 309-246-2645 or jasondewalt@ksrequipment.com.

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Summertime Frozen Yogurt Pie Looking for a summer dessert you don’t have to feel guilty about indulging in? Try this easy, low-fat frozen treat!

Recipe inspired by goodhousekeeping.com.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup frozen or fresh mixed berries (strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries) • 3 (6-ounce) containers regular yogurt (berry flavors work best) 3. Cover pie with foil or plastic lid. 4. Store in freezer for at least 3 hours, or until frozen through. 5. Serve frozen or slightly thawed.

• 1 premade graham cracker pie crust • 1 (8-ounce) container Cool Whip

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine Cool Whip, mixed berries, and yogurt in a bowl. Mix with a spatula until well- blended. 2. Pour yogurt mixture into pie crust.

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805 E. Howard St. Pontiac, IL 61764

Inside This Issue It Runs in the Family

PAGE 1

Grow Crystals With Your Kids

PAGE 2

Testimonial and Employee Spotlight

PAGE 2

Maximize Your Yields With KSR’s New Soil Testing Service

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Summertime Frozen Yogurt Pie

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Tips and Tricks for a Backyard Oasis

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too, so you can wash your vegetables, straight off the vine! Finally, think about seating and put a bar behind the sink counter, so you can talk while you chop. 5. Make It Private: Just because you borrow a cup of sugar from the neighbors doesn’t mean you want their kids peering into your yard every time you take a dip in your pool. Garden walls or lattices with vines will create exceptional privacy for you and your family. Whatever your method for creating an ideal escape, keep illumination in mind. After all, when the party goes late, the perfect lighting can add just the right ambiance to an already enchanting evening. Backyard Oasis

Whether you’re looking for the perfect space to relax or the ideal location for entertaining, creating the perfect backyard oasis can be the fulfillment of a dream for many home owners. For those looking to inspire something beautiful without hiring a personal landscape artist, here are a few ideas to toss around. 1. Consider Levels: Your space will be more interesting when you’ve carved out certain spots for different activities. Picture your patio furniture sitting just outside, while a garden sets down below. Enclose your pool with a short wall to give it a “lifted” look while providing seating space for guests who wish to soak their feet! 2. Cover With Foliage: Rather than gaining your shade from a solid ceiling, use vines with large leaves to twirl around your pergola and create a natural, yet cool environment. 3. Materials Matter: Opt for brick or stone on the patio, rather than cement, to create a more natural look. If you’re debating on surfaces, look to your house. What will be the most fitting extension of your home? Surround your flooring with potted plants and built-in flower beds. 4. Take Inside Out: Bring the entertainment home with an outdoor kitchen, ideal for grilling and cooking up sides. Cover with a pergola and think modern by installing more than a grill. Install a sink, Tips and Tricks for a

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