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market-farming - Re: farm tools/ROTOTILLER

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  • From: Petersons <petersns AT mail.whidbey.com>
  • To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Re: farm tools/ROTOTILLER
  • Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 17:31:55 -0800


We cultivate about 3 acres and I use wheel hoes for many garden/farm
chores. These are push, not pull tools. You can see new ones in
Johnny's, the Peaceful Valley and Valley Oak catalogs. The hoes
frequently come with two blades angled to cut approx. 1" below the
soil, and are, as you say, very good for annual weeds. You can find
claw attachments for wheel hoes that will disturb the top 1-3 in of
soil, dislodging seedling weeds. There are u-shaped blades that cut
about 1"down at a slight angle. These also tumble the cut soil. We
have a furrower attachment for one that is good for making rows,
covering large seed, and for throwing dirt over the edge of a piece
of row cover material ( if you are very skilled with the wheel hoe).
I use the "human power" tools as much as possible since I'm not
skilled with a tiller or tractor. We do use the tractor for major
tilling, the BCS tiller for fine seed bed preparation and for areas
the tractor can't reach. Wheel hoes can be found at garage and
estate sales still. Planet Juniors are the prized ones here. We have
a collection of old wheel hoes and each of us has a favorite. I have
to admit that the general favorite is the new one though, with a
rubber front wheel.
This is my third try sending this response. I carefully cut out most of the original, down to 7 lines but got back a message that I had left in 11 lines. Why isn't this working?


I'm curious as to how much acreage you have? .... Also I've used a hoe (plough?) that one can pull behind them, it has a 2' sharp blade, 1 handle on each side and cuts 1" into the ground, and is excellent for getting rid of annual weeds, it too doesn't compact the soil as much, but it belongs to my aunt. Would anyone know where I could find one of these?



  • Re: farm tools/ROTOTILLER, Petersons, 03/19/2001

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