Fourth-Generation Farmer Switches From CB to GMRS Radios

Cal Wasik is a fourth-generation farmer in New York. He spoke to Midland Radio about why he made the switch from CB radios to GMRS as harvest season is getting underway.

ABOUT WASIK FARMS

Wasik Farms is located in Lockport, NY. The farm is about 3,500 acres.

The family grows grain, cash crops, and operates its own beef farm. They have about 120 beef cattle.

Cal Wask's great-grandfather started the farm in 1945.

The farm is busy all year, except winter. They harvest winter wheat just before the July 4 holiday. Harvest season for corn and soybeans goes through first of November.

Wasik says they try to be as prepared as possible ahead of harvest season.

“We usually go through everything in the shop and go over everything with a fine-tooth comb. You try to be preemptive about it to get it all fixed because something always breaks.” 

GETTING INTO FARMING

Cal Wasik helps his dad and two brothers run most of the day to day operations on the farm. He knew from a young age this is what he wanted to do.

“It was kind of the only thing I really enjoyed growing up. In high school I started doing more and more chores, some more farm work. Everyone in high school they didn’t really know what they wanted to do, but ever since I was young, I just knew it was something I wanted to do."

Wasik also felt it was important for him to carry on the family business.

“With my family connections to it, you just want to keep it going and put it onto your kids and hopefully it just keeps going."

SWITCHING FROM CB TO GMRS

Wasik just made the switch from CB radios to GRMS in July.

“We’ve had CB radios in the past. They work okay, but the problem we have is we have a lot of wooded area. Every time the combine would go out and try and get another run, it’s hard to see hand signals all the way from the other side of the field.”

He read up on GMRS radios before deciding to choose Midland's MXT115AGVP3 Farm Tractor Bundle.

“I read up on radios and everywhere pointed me to Midland. That farm bundle is perfect.”

Wasik likes how they work in all his vehicles, drastically improving their communication range.

“It’s universal for combines, buggy wagons, any tractor that I’ve got close to the field and you can get a pretty good range out of them.”

Having the right radio on the farm is imperative to success on the farm for the Wasiks.

“Communication is key. Lack of communication- everything goes haywire really quick. It’s hard to run everything when nobody knows where you’re at or what you’re doing. It makes for a long day.”