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market-farming - Re: Earthway vs. Humanity

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  • From: Hugh Lovel <uai AT alltel.net>
  • To: "market farming" <market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Re: Earthway vs. Humanity
  • Date: Sat, 1 Apr 2000 09:37:34 -0500


>Does anyone remember the "artist's rendering" of Eliot Coleman pushing
>along an Earthway seeder with a positively beatific look on his rendered
>face?
>It was this sketch and his promotion of "ganged" Earthway seeders that
>had me and my wife pushing along four of those clever torture devices (at
>once) across our unyielding silt loam last year.
>Perhaps it was my own lack of finesse, but the Earthway seeder failed me
>on several occasions.
>
>Hey- if anyone wants to take the cussing and fuming to the "next level",
>there's instructions in the October 1987 issue of HortScience (Vol.
>22(5)) for turning your Earthway seeders into a tractor-mounted
>nightmare. You go on without me- I'm just not brave enough.
>
>Kent Priestley
>Grandy, NC
>
>---

Folks,

Did I send my info on the Earthway seeder to the wrong list? You can modify
your Earthway seeder to where it is pushable through much rougher terrain
by reversing the top part of the handle. Tall folks might want to craft an
extended handle. And see if you can picture what I mean about a paint brush
to make the seeds drop. Here's my previous post:

Earthway seeder, huh?

The first day I used this li'l jewel I took the handle off and turned it
around so I could move forward as well as pack the soil on top of the seeds
I just planted. Then I sawed the handle off a small paint brush and drilled
and screwed it into the seed box sideways so the bristles swept the seed
plate as it turned and all the seed then fell like it was supposed to. THEN
it was a fairly satisfactory tool. Plus for spinach and small beet seed,
etc. I put tape across the flat gaps of an okra/beet plate so LESS seed
would fall, but still more seed than with the spinach plate, which was
inadequate. I've been tempted over the past 14 years to make photos and
send them to Earthway showing how their seeders OUGHT to be set up to
function halfway decently, but I never got around to it. I've been blown
off by manufacturers before when I tried to give them suggestions, so bleep
'em. As it is my Earthway planter--for which I give them credit where
due--is nearly indispensible for my 6 acre market garden operation. I'm
sure someone will come up with something better if they try, though.

Best,
Hugh Lovel








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