Row Shaver is a mechanical solution for weed control in row crops. Each implement is custom made to attach to a tractor, sprayer, detassler, swather or other piece of equipment.

Does the thought of palmer amaranth towering above corn keep you up at night? Are you plagued by marestail or waterhemp sprouting in your soybean fields?

Herbicide-resistant weeds are a genuine concern for crop producers. Fortunately, weeds cannot grow resistant to steel. This is the slogan for Row Shaver Systems LLC, a Kansas-based company specializing in mechanical weed control.

Dave Button had the idea for Row Shaver about eight years ago. He was noticing problems with herbicide-resistant weeds in his own fields near Great Bend, Kansas, where he grows wheat, grain sorghum, corn, soybeans and alfalfa.

“Rather than sit around and complain about it and wait for the chemical companies to do something, we decided to develop our own product,” Button said.

Row Shaver Systems offer two products with different functions:

1) Row Shaver: cleans out weeds between the crop rows using shrouded cutters

2) Row Trimmer: removes seed pods, flowers and stems with a floating sickle

Each unit is custom made to the specified number of row units (from three to nine) and row width (between 20 and 36 inches). It is also specially fitted to the producer’s implement.

To prevent further spread of herbicide-resistant weeds, the Row Trimmer removes seed pods, flowers and stems with a floating sickle.

Four different suppliers fabricate the pieces, which Button assembles himself. Metal components are welded, laser cut, bent and drilled at Mad Dog Metals. Kanamak Hydraulics designed and supplies the hydraulic mechanisms. Both businesses are located at Garden City, Kansas.

Plastic parts come from Neodesha Plastics in Neodesha, Kansas. Scott’s Welding of Great Bend is involved in the custom installation and other specialty modifications.

Through trial and error, Button has found that attaching the Row Shaver to a high clearance sprayer or corn detassler works best. Corn detasslers are most compatible because of their hydraulic capacity. A front-mount option is available for tractor loader use, as well.

This winter, Button is working to attach Row Shaver to a swather.

“A swather can carry a lot more load than a sprayer or corn detassler,” he said. “This will make more units available to customers on different platforms.”

Adding the Row Shaver to a swather will accommodate producers with more acres. It allows for nine row units. That this may not sound very big compared to the 24-row or 36-row planters and combines now used, Button said, but there is no time restriction when using the Row Shaver.

“It’s not a sprayer with a half hour time window when weather allows,” said Button.

To some, his approach to weed control could be viewed as nontraditional.

“We are not in the weed killing business so much as we are about getting rid of herbicide-resistant seeds that will cause you problems year after year,” Button said.

Row Shaver also does not disturb the soil, unlike cultivation that can cut plant roots and decrease yields.

“Opening the soil with cultivation defeats your whole no till program and allows moisture to escape,” Button said. “We are attacking weed control in a little different fashion.”

Row Shaver has a hooded sprayer attachment option. Because the chemicals are applied under the crop canopy with the hooded sprayer, there is little to no herbicide drift.

Organic farmers are the greatest benefactor of Row Shaver, but Button said it can be used by “literally anyone who farms in rows.”

Button has found the Row Shaver works particularly well in milo fields. Soybean fields typically require two passes because the canopy does not close quite as quickly as milo. Usage on corn is restricted due to its height later in the growing season, but Row Shaver is effective until the corn plants reach 4 to 4 ½ feet tall.

The dry spring of 2022 provided Button the perfect opportunity to test the effectiveness of his product. With little rain in the spring, there was not enough moisture to activate the pre-emergent herbicide.

“Row Shaver literally saved our bacon on a couple milo fields,” Button said.

He skipped a row here or there to demonstrate how Row Shaver can keep fields weed-free.

To see the machine in action, view the videos at www.rowshaver.com.

It’s safe to say that weed control is a national, if not global, problem. Button has had inquiries from across the entire United States, as well as South America and Australia. He has sold implements as far away as Hawaii.

To Button, one can never do enough to prevent herbicide-resistant weeds.

“I don’t think there are enough products in the world to continue to fight weeds, so I applaud anybody that’s making any kind of machinery to get rid of herbicide-resistant weeds,” said Button.

More on Row Shaver Systems can be found at www.rowshaver.com or contact Dave Button at 316-516-2477.

Reporter Kristen Sindelar has loved agriculture her entire life, coming from a diversified farm with three generations working side-by-side in northeastern Nebraska. Reach her at Kristen.Sindelar@midwestmessenger.com.

Get local news delivered to your inbox!

Reporter Kristen Sindelar has loved agriculture her entire life, coming from a diversified farm with three generations working side-by-side in northeastern Nebraska. Reach her at Kristen.Sindelar@midwestmessenger.com.

Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.

Millborn Seeds is expanding in Nebraska with the purchase of Prairie Sky Seed and its seed cleaning facility in Hemingford.

High resolution cameras are helping farmers keep an eye on crop health.

Row Shaver is a mechanical solution for weed control in row crops. Each implement is custom made to attach to a tractor, sprayer, detassler, swather or other piece of equipment.

To prevent further spread of herbicide-resistant weeds, the Row Trimmer removes seed pods, flowers and stems with a floating sickle.

Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device.