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  • From: Jim Vibert <jim AT windwalkerboats.com>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Tillers
  • Date: Sun, 25 Apr 2004 11:54:15 -0500

Title: Re: [Market-farming] Tillers
Kevin,
That’s a tough one.  I know Elliott Coleman says you can farm 5 acres with a walk-behind.  We have about 2.5 of our 100 acres under production.  We have a BCS 737, 11 H.P. Acme engine, and a Kubota L2900 (29 H.P.) with a 48 inch gear driven tiller attachment.  Our acreage (17.5 per the USDA) which is crop land (how they come up with those numbers, I have no idea)  was unusable for crops without massive chemicals when we bought the farm 16 years ago.   The soil was essentially inert.   Currently, I’d admit I till more than I should but we have a program to put organics back into the soil so I’m always messing about with green manures, composted horse manure, worm compost, etc.  I’ve found that with my off farm job time is my worst enemy.  The Kubota which we bought this year with the tiller has been a life saver.   We also have a raised bed mulch layer that with some small adjustments will bury potatoes set in a furrow the BCS makes.  Joan stood with her mouth open as I covered four 150 foot rows of potatoes in third gear (about two minutes).  She announced that she would have been hours covering the potatoes with a rake.  I only relate this story to high light the fact that both machines paired, give us, on our type of soil, the ability to get the job done.  As we see it anyway.  I know, lots of “stuff” to consider.  Good luck.

-- Jim Vibert
Windwalker Farm



Kevin Miller4/25/04 10:58 AM

I kow we just discussed tillers a short time ago but......Well my tiller just died , an MTD rear tine, it was ok, but know I am relegated to using my OLD David BRadley and an old craftsman front tine for this year. I am pretty sure I will go for a BCS next year but was wondering what everyone thought was about as big acreage wise it was practical to farm with one or at what size a "real" tractor should be considered?ThanksGod Bless,
Kevin Miller
Turnin' Back Time Farm
Zone 5 (NW Ohio)


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