Abstract: Seeds are planted in a repeating pattern of a group of seeds with a seed spacing and then a group spacing with no seeds wherein the group spacing is at least two times the seed spacing. The grouping of seeds results in an improved plant emergent rate and improved yields in cloddy, compacted, and crusted soil.

Abstract: A ball pitching machine of the windmill type simulates the pitching motion of a human pitcher. The machine includes: (a) a rotating plate which rotates vertically 360° at a constant speed about an axis; (b) a pitching arm having a ball holder at a distal end and being pivotably connected to the rotating plate at a proximate end, the pitching arm adapted to rotate vertically about an arc of between about 100 and 300° at a high speed and to rotate about the remaining arc at the speed of the rotating plate; and (c) a flip lever pivotably connected to the pitching arm.