Mukwonago farmer says iPad app saving him time and money

WAUKESHA COUNTY -- Apps for smartphones or tablets usually make things easier, but a Waukesha County farmer says an app on his iPad is actually saving him hundreds, if not thousands of dollars!

Waukesha County farmer Dan Craig doesn't go into his farm field without his iPad -- specifically, the "FieldView" app.

The app is much more than a GPS system. It tracks when seeds drop and how far into the ground they go. If there's a problem, Craig can see it immediately.

"When I saw how this worked, I said 'I gotta have that. This would be great!' I found individual rows that weren't planting right. I would've planted the whole year like that and it would've been substandard and I wouldn't have even known," Craig said.

Craig says the last thing he wants to do is waste seeds -- especially after this summer's drought that has resulted in seed prices expected to rise.

In the fall, Craig says his iPad gives him a head start on the harvest. Craig plans to collect his corn in two weeks, but he can estimate the yield using a "corn calculator" in different parts of the field.

The iPad app doesn't protect Craig from natural obstacles like a drought or unwanted guests dining on his crop, but Craig says it saves him time and money, and it's fun!

"Anybody that has an app on their phone -- whether you're downhill skiing, fishing or farming, it makes work that much more enjoyable," Craig said.

For all the thousands of dollars farmers spend on technology, including sensors, the "FieldView" app is free. However, the app doesn't work on its own. It needs to be connected to a separate sensor.

CLICK HERE for additional details on the "FieldView" app for iPad.