Thunder Creek: Safe and Efficient

Thunder Creek

Safe and Efficient

Martin Family Farms of Mt. Pulaski, IL is owned and operated by Jeff and Jean Martin, Doug and Erin Martin, & Derek and Renee Martin. Their roots in agriculture go back to 1826, when their family began raising corn and soybeans around central Illinois.

Doug and Derek were raised on the farm, always working with their parents and grandparents. After college, they both returned to the farm to live out their passion for agriculture and keep the family farm growing. As the 7th generation of Martin Family Farms, Doug and Derek take pride in improving their operation by staying on top of cutting-edge technology and modern, innovative farming practices.

In 2020, Doug and Derek saw an opportunity to improve the safety and efficiency of harvest, and found it to be a necessary change. In the past, they had been hauling fuel to and from the field on a homemade trailer as a convenient way to get by throughout the season. After harvest, they realized their need to upgrade and invest in a reliable fuel trailer, and reached out to Michael Schmidt at Central Illinois Ag about a Thunder Creek. That next morning, Michael had a Thunder Creek FST990 fuel trailer available, so the Martins decided to make it theirs and have not regretted it since.

This harvest was their first season with the Thunder Creek, and they have been impressed with how it has impacted their productivity in the field. Their crew have all enjoyed using the trailer and love how it minimizes down time by only taking five minutes to fill up the combine before getting right back to work. They can also go a few days before refueling the Thunder Creek, unlike their old trailer which needed refueled every night.

Doug and Derek also agree that safety is one of the key features of the Thunder Creek that makes for an easier harvest. During the later weeks of harvest when they are working in the dark more often, the LED lights are a great addition. Additionally, the enclosure of the trailer front to back keeps supplies clean and makes transportation safer all around. “As much as we travel, haul fuel, and have to fill up in the dark, the FST990 has really paid off to have,” says Doug.

They also note how useful it is to have the DEF system, air compressor, welder, and generator available at all times and have gotten a lot of use out of this harvest season. “We use every aspect of this trailer,” says Derek. “Time is a huge deal when farming and it definitely saves us time each day.”

The Martins are proud Thunder Creek customers and have continued to recommend the trailer to neighbors and friends who have asked about theirs, noting that the value is worth it. “Farmers typically make big purchases and don’t like to spend on smaller tools,” says Doug. “But after having the Thunder Creek, we have realized that it makes a difference to spend on the little things.”

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