Watkins Drainage

03/30/2026

The 2026 drainage season begins!

03/15/2026

For our customers that follow us, our tile supplier notified us that these fuel prices will eventually hit plastic prices. Apparently resin prices have nearly doubled since they last purchased. It sounds like spring pricing is secure, but summer may bring large price hikes for tile. We encourage our customers to reach out if they are thinking of investing in their land this summer

03/06/2026

A landowner recently called to ask about grant programs available. This is what I have found, and I invite anyone who knows of others to let us know.

We have worked with landowners who were able to get a small amount of funding for erosion control, as part of a larger project.

This program is in the Grand River watershed. Others might find similar programs in other watersheds.

As part of our work to develop a corporate Customer Service Strategy, we’re gathering feedback from people who use or interact with any of our programs and services. Your insights will help us understand what’s working well, where improvements are needed, and how we can deliver better service ac...

01/24/2026

Thanks to Oneida New Holland in Caledonia, I avoided a MAJOR transmission catastrophe on my T8-330. They noted the brake pedal feel was off, and the brakes weren't working very well. Then they showed me a T8 with grenaded brakes. Makes a mess like you wouldn't believe, and the fragments go through the whole transmission and hydraulic system.

So we brought mine home, pulled the axles out of it and this is what we found.

Thankfully, the mess is all brake friction material, no metallics. Filters were clean!. 🙏 New parts will be about $3500. Its an easy job on these tractors. Bull work but really simple otherwise. I wanted to warn others to get ahead of this before it becomes a major problem.
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Chat had this to say:

T8 Brake PSA (Road Work)

If your New Holland T8 does a lot of road miles, don’t treat the brakes as lifetime parts. Wet brakes share oil with the transmission, and once they start shedding material, things get expensive fast.

Recommendation for road-heavy use:

Watch closely after 3,000 hrs (filters, oil samples)

Inspect by 3,500–4,000 hrs

Plan brake replacement around 4,000–4,500 hrs

5,000+ hrs = high risk of brake failure and oil contamination

Mine failed at 5,200 hrs

12/22/2025

Merry Christmas everyone!!!

12/20/2025

Adding magnets to drain plugs... Shoulda been there from factory.

11/20/2025

Remapping a field tile system today. We've got a old clay main that's in surprisingly good shape. We are going to use it to split some runs.

10/29/2025

Step one....Drainage!

10/28/2025

Out with the old, in with the new. Toromont worked some financing miracles. We standardized on the 313 tonne class in 2015. They are the right size for the work we do, and the ground we work. Next up, is to get the autogreaser installed.

08/21/2025

Investing in Accuracy

When our base station failed this summer, we didn’t just replace it—we upgraded. 🌐

We’re proud to be among the first in Canada to install Trimble’s new satellite hardware, giving us access to 30+ satellites (up from the 9–14 we used to run on). That means higher accuracy, better reception around trees, and more reliable results for our customers.

It’s part of our ongoing commitment: rebuilding equipment, adding new tools, and investing in technology so your project is done right, every time.

08/09/2025

Here's an oldie but a goodie. We had to break out the laser controls for the first time in years the other day. Deep in the trees, with poor satellite reception. Really makes you appreciate GPS controls!