Flame Weeders Catching On Fast

Flame Weeders Catching On Fast CROPS Weed Control 19-5-28 You might say business has caught fire for a Minnesota farmer/inventor. Dennis Lutteke believes that "flaming" weeds is a better alternative than using chemicals to control them. In an attempt to completely eliminate the use of chemicals on his 100 acres of corn, Lutteke, of Wells, Minn., designed and built his own flame cultivator five years ago. It was bigger and more sophisticated than the 4-row units gas companies promoted for a time during the '60's for burning weeds out of crop rows. Lutteke's 12-row (30-in.) flame cultivator features burners he designed, mounted on a hydraulic-fold tool bar, and 250-gal. LP tank. Lutteke flames corn (he also cultivates it) one to three times during the growing sea-son, using 4 to 7 gpa of propane (50 cents per gal.) traveling 3 to 4 1/2 mph. Control ranges from about 70% (one flaming) to nearly 100% (three flamings). Lutteke's flame cultivator drew more attention than he ever imagined. At first, he began getting calls from neighbors asking him to build units for them. Soon he was getting calls from surrounding states. There's a reason, he says. "Propane has gone up about 10 cents per gal. since I started flaming so it costs about 50 cents more per acre every time you flame," Lutteke says. "But there's so much concern over farm chemicals and the environment, that interest among farmers is overwhelming. "I've had calls to build whole 4, 6 and 8-row (30 to 40-in. rows) cultivators. Others want kits so they can build their own. The University of Oregon even ordered one from me so they could test it." Last year, Lutteke built kits for about 200 rows as well as a few complete cultivators. Lutteke's 6-in. wide by 12-in. long steel burners differ from most on the market. They feature a single-hole stainless steel disc orifice that helps reduce plugging problems. Brass or stainless steel screens also help reduce plugging by filtering out the scale that forms inside steel pipes. Cost is $130 per row for burners, hoses and manifold lines. It's another $250 for controls - fuel lock off, regulators, needle valves for pilot lights, filter for fuel lock off, electrical controls and gauges. If a farmer wants tank brackets and stands, it's another $350. Lutteke charges his cost - $300 to $500 - for toolbars when he builds an entire cultivator. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Dennis Lutteke, Rt. 2, Box 200, Wells, Minn. 56097 (ph 507-553-5633).

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