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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] Potato diggers

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  • From: Willie McKemie <mf AT austinfarm.org>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Potato diggers
  • Date: Thu, 22 Apr 2004 21:13:42 -0500

On Thu, Apr 22, 2004 at 08:20:15PM -0400, Windsoap AT aol.com wrote:
> In a message dated 4/22/2004 3:17:02 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
> ecapatos AT yahoo.ca writes:
> > potato diggers. I don't need a big tractor
>
> Do you have a tractor? We use what my husband calls a "buster sweep", a
> large, single triangular thing that he pulls with a small tractor. You
> have to
> get a running start, then it scoops under all the potatoes (or onions) and
> just
> flips the whole row over. you still get the thrill of crawling down the
> row
> on hands and knees putting the potatoes into baskets.

That sounds like the same kind of plow I use to dig potatoes. It is
12" or maybe 18" wide and has only 3"-4" rise in the middle. It is a
one row adaption of some bigger row crop plow. I plowed my first
potatoes of the year today, 50' or 100', and got only about 1/4 lb per
foot. I will plow a whole row (600'-700') next week, then a row at a
time for several more weeks until the potatoes mature and we plow them
all. For mature potatoes, my target is at least 1/2 lb per foot. We
first hand pull the tops, then plow and pick up, plow and pick up
several times. I can't imagine that the job could be done with less
than about 20 hp with any device since you have to get below the
potatoes to avoid excessive damage.

For the past couple of years, I have been picking potatoes into
recycled plastic produce crates. I then hose them off in the same
container and store them, again in the same container; they can be
stacked about 8 high.

BTW, I have an interest (part ownership) in a small PTO powered
digger; it has proven unsatisfactory for my needs.

--
Willie, ONWARD! Through the fog!
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