July 08, 2026

Better Timing, Better Yields: The Value of a High-Clearance Sprayer

8 minutes

After touring the Hagie Manufacturing facility in Clarion, Iowa, Corey Hillebo and his father, Scott Hillebo, reflect on their family's long history with Hagie sprayers and how technology has transformed their farming operation.

Scott shares the story of purchasing his first Hagie STS10 in 2009, using a detasseling cutter to help justify the investment, and eventually progressing through multiple Hagie models as the farm's needs evolved. The conversation highlights how the farm transitioned from using a sprayer primarily for crop protection to utilizing it as a critical management tool for fertility, nitrogen applications, fungicides, foliar feeding, and late-season crop management.

The father-son duo discusses:

Scott's history owning three Hagie sprayers

How detasseling helped support the original investment

The evolution from early STS models to today's technology-packed machines

ExactApply and its impact on application accuracy and efficiency

First impressions of John Deere's See & Spray technology

Why timing matters more than ever in modern crop production

Using Y-Drops and spoon-feeding nitrogen

Fungicide and foliar application opportunities later in the growing season

How a high-clearance sprayer influences agronomic decision-making

The benefits of controlling application timing in-house

What stood out most during the Hagie factory tour

The unique culture of Hagie Manufacturing and its continued focus on craftsmanship

The partnership between Hagie and John Deere

The future of precision spraying technology

This episode offers a real-world farmer perspective on how equipment investments can influence management decisions, improve efficiency, and create opportunities to capture additional yield through better timing and precision.

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