Pictured above: Sharon, Brian, Randy and Sam Riegsecker
On his family’s growing, diversified farm, Sam Riegsecker describes the importance of having a durable, reliable combine header.
Since 1963, three generations of the Riegsecker family have owned, operated, diversified and innovated on their northwest Ohio farm. When Sam Riegsecker left a corporate job to return to the farm in 2022, he knew modern farming required modern solutions, and a Drago GT rose to the challenge.
An impactful first impression
Sam remembers his dad, Randy Riegsecker, describing his first impression of a Drago combine header when seen at a farm show.
“He was impressed with how well it was built, and it made such an impact that he came home and talked to his dad about it. We ran red and weren’t sure what we wanted to do,” Sam says.
They’d been battling with gathering chains, sprockets and deck plate wear on their previous Case corn head — all areas where every Drago corn head is engineered to excel. They purchased a Drago Series II in 2013 and saw the difference in combine header performance immediately.
When Sam came back to the farm and joined the family nearly 10 years later, it was clear that a corn head upgrade was in the cards. The Riegseckers upgraded their Series II for a Drago GT, and “kernel capture technology” became — and continues to be — a common phrase around Maranatha Acres.
Features engineered to capture more yield, not trash
Of all its yield-saving features, Sam thinks three words sum up his Drago combine header best: “It eats corn.”
While every Drago corn head is known for capturing more yield from every acre, an equally important feature is minimizing trash entering the combine.
“I’ve seen a lot of other corn heads have a ball of trash right in front of the feeder house, which could lead to head loss. We have zero of that” Sam says.
Drago deck plates automatically self-adjust from both sides to support and center plants better on the row, which is increasingly important with varying stalk widths.
As stalks are processed by the rollers, they pass through the plates’ rounded edges with less kinking, breakage and ear whip, and less trash enters the machine.
Learn more insights about stalk variability and harvest loss at the combine header in Drago’s harvest research.
This video was submitted by Sam Riegsecker as part of Drago’s 2025 harvest snapshot contest.
Managing trash before it enters the combine is an important component of preserving yield. Another is managing ear bounce, which is where QuadSuspension™ comes in, integrated on every Drago GT corn head. Shock absorbers under the deck plates can flex upon impact to reduce ear bounce and butt shelling – a feature main line combine header brands can’t claim.
“Suspension on the deck plates was a phenomenal add; we don’t have cobs of corn that hit and bounce out. The gathering chains catch everything they need to,” says Sam.
Minimizing downtime and maintenance
Sam describes time and money saved in the off season as one of the biggest benefits of running a Drago.
“To have something where we can literally check the gear box, throw grease in it, hook it up and run it…there’s really no question as far as reliability goes, because you hook it up and just go.”
Specifically, eliminating the need to replace gathering chains on a regular basis has been a welcome change from the past. “We used to change gathering chains every 1.5-2 years, and we have yet to change these. We just tighten them a bit, and they’re ready to rock-and-roll.”
Drago Club, a free portal available to all Drago owners, has also been a valuable resource for maintenance videos, manuals and more content to keep their combine header running like new. “I like the service videos. I watch them every fall just to remind myself where the grease zerks are. Having a hub for all that stuff is great,” says Sam.
He adds that Paul Martin & Sons, their local Drago dealer, is a great resource to offer trusted support that brings additional benefits and peace of mind. “Having people to talk to and assure us we don’t need to spend extra money on parts that we don’t need, and having someone to work with you on your decision-making is big.”
Confidence for every generation, through every harvest
Sam recalls that he always felt like he was supposed to be back on the family operation — but wasn’t sure how he’d fit in.
When he made the decision to leave a corporate job and return in 2022 following his grandpa’s passing two years prior, the Riegsecker family had many conversations about what the future looked like.
Today, working with his dad and uncle, Sam notes that the future is bright. Even in times when the landscape can feel like a “Get big or get out,” scenario, continuing to grow and invest where it benefits total ROI increases his sense of pride in continuing a century farm.
Three generations of Riegseckers are still involved with the operation, including Sam’s grandma, Sharon.
“I never thought we’d be where we are today in my lifetime. My grandma still lives on the farm and remains an active voice in our operation. Her insights and experience are so valuable — and she makes sure we all stay fed day in and day out when we are working around the farm,” he says. “I enjoy being involved in the growth of our operation. It’s been really good.”
How Drago helps complete the picture
As Maranatha Acres continues to farm row crops and operate a crop insurance business, there are no shortage of to-dos on any given day — and running a Drago gives more time back to those things. When it comes to risk management, investing in a combine header with less downtime than most main line heads adds up.
“We talk with a lot of farmers in crop insurance, and ROI is always top-of-mind. Many of those customers have bought a Drago based on those conversations,” says Sam.
With features engineered for durability and designed to preserve corn farmers’ ROI, it’s no question why multiple generations of Riegseckers continue to choose Drago.