A Day in the Life: Technician

When it comes to the rhythm of a farm, harvest time is a non-negotiable deadline. For the dedicated technicians at Bane-Welker, that means every machine needs to be in prime condition. Meet Jason Brandenberg, a seasoned pro with five years of experience at the Lebanon store. Today, he's on a mission. Armed with his tools and expertise, he's headed to Brewer Farms to tackle some major repairs on a combine. The goal? To get it running perfectly so the farmers can bring in their harvest without an issue, all thanks to a crucial pre-harvest inspection that spotted the needed repairs just in time. 

For a technician like Jason, there's no such thing as a typical day. While today's mission at Brewer Farms is a major one—requiring him to spend the better part of a week on-site to completely disassemble the combine's grain elevator to replace the worn head and tackle a sliced auger housing—his work is constantly changing. 

Technicians split their time between farms and Bane-Welker's own shops, with their duties shifting with the seasons. They might be performing routine inspections and maintenance, like the one that caught the issues at Brewer Farms, or working on long-term repair projects during the off-season. But when harvest is on, the job moves to the field. Their top priority is responding to emergency repairs and getting a grower's equipment back up and running as quickly as possible. Every day is a new challenge, a new location, and a new way to help a farmer succeed. 

No two days on the job are exactly alike, but they all begin with the same crucial step: ensuring you have the right parts. Sometimes, a technician already has everything they need on their truck, ready to go. On other days, the morning starts with a quick stop at the shop. There, they'll meet with the service manager to discuss the customer's concerns, then head to the parts department to get their truck loaded up.

Today, Jason's morning was a team effort. After grabbing a few key parts, the parts team loaded a new auger and auger housing directly into the truck of Ryan Scott, the salesperson for Brewer Farms. Ryan is helping with the repairs, showcasing the collaborative spirit that keeps the farming community running, especially with harvest quickly approaching for Brewer Farms.  

Before a technician can get to work, they must first find out what is causing the issue. Diagnosing a problem is a critical part of the job, and it happens in a couple of keyways. Sometimes, the issue is discovered during a scheduled inspection, just like the one at Brewer Farms that caught the combine issues before harvest even began. 

Other times, a farmer calls in with a concern, and the hunt for the part causing the issue begins. With the call as their only lead, technicians rely on their extensive training and sharp expertise to find the issue.  It’s a process of elimination and educated guesses, where they methodically work to uncover the root cause and get the farmer back to work. 

Once Ryan and Jason pulled up to Brewer Farms, the real work began. The first step in this major repair was to meticulously disassemble the combine. Jason first removed the side panels, allowing for easier access to the machine's inner workings.

From there, it was a multi-step process: they had to remove the grain auger from the bottom of the combine, which would then allow them to pull out the entire grain elevator. With the elevator out, they could replace the worn-out head and the damaged housing. 

This job wasn't just about taking things apart; it was a complex puzzle of deconstruction and reconstruction. After the new parts were installed, everything had to be carefully reassembled. The same process applied to the auger: they used a crane to lift the old one down to the ground, removed the auger, replaced the housing, and then carefully put it all back together again. It's a testament to the skill and precision required for every job. 

This major repair was a team effort, and while Jason was the project manager for the job, he wasn't doing it alone. Ryan, the salesperson, and even the farmer himself, all pitched in. Together, they worked to remove, replace, and reassemble different parts of the combine, showcasing the kind of teamwork that is essential to keeping a farm running smoothly. It’s a powerful reminder that at Bane-Welker, they're more than just technicians—they're partners in the farming community. 

For Jason, becoming a technician was more than just a job—it was a natural extension of his life. His passion for hands-on work and his mechanical skills were first sparked on his family farm. As he grew up, he realized the farm couldn't support him full-time, but he knew he wanted to stay connected to agriculture. 

Choosing to become a technician was the perfect solution. Now, not only does he get to work in the industry he loves every day, but his skills have become an extra benefit. He can use his expertise to repair equipment when he's out farming with his family, bringing his professional life and personal passions full circle. 

It's clear that Jason’s passion for his work is fueled not only by his own skills, but by a powerful support system. He's a product of the excellent training provided by both Bane-Welker and Case IH, which offers technicians a variety of learning opportunities, from in-person classes to apprenticeships. 

But for Jason, the job is defined by more than just professional development. It's the sense of community. He loves the friendship and support from his team, a group that can share a joke on breaks and then seamlessly transition into a focused, collaborative effort. By leveraging their different areas of expertise, they tackle complex problems efficiently, proving that a great team is just as important as the right tools. For Jason and his colleagues, being a technician is more than a job—it’s about being part of a family dedicated to helping farmers succeed.