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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] Earthway Push Seeder

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  • From: Road's End Farm <organic87 AT frontiernet.net>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Earthway Push Seeder
  • Date: Sat, 24 Apr 2010 22:31:56 -0400


On Apr 24, 2010, at 6:01 PM, <clearviewfarm AT bluefrog.com> <clearviewfarm AT bluefrog.com > wrote:

Rivka

Would you please expound on your comment about cleaning the Earthway well, at least once a season? In what way do you clean it?

Take all the seed plates and wash them in soapy water (dish soap). Don't rinse them; let them air dry with the soapy water still on them (at least that's what the instructions I came across said, and it seems to help). Wipe out the inside of the seed box with soapy water and let dry, ditto. Clean anything else that looks grubby; put a little 3 in 1 or similar oil on moving-part junctures outside the seed box such as the wheel hubs.

The instructions also said if that doesn't work try dry spray graphite lubricant -- I haven't tried that, though.

When you say "reduces seed jamming", are you referring to seed getting behind the plate or some other form of jam (or jelly, perhaps? ;-)) )? How does one reduce seed getting behind the seed plate?

Seed getting behind the plate, yes. (If you filled the seeder with jelly I bet it would really need cleaning : ) ). It also helps to not fill the seed box too full.

Usually it's only peas and soybeans that give me trouble with jamming. I noticed the problem was getting worse and worse every year, and then I came across the cleaning instructions; much better now.

The hint in the link Casey & Teena posted also looks interesting. Don't know if I'll get around to trying it, though, unless the seeder starts giving me more trouble than usual.



-- Rivka; Finger Lakes NY, Zone 5 mostly
Fresh-market organic produce, small scale







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