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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] potato digger/shakers

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  • From: Richard Stewart <rstewart AT zoomtown.com>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] potato digger/shakers
  • Date: Sat, 7 Aug 2010 10:48:42 -0400

Most commercial diggers I have seen are modeled after the chain style diggers.   I have had zero experience with the Italian types.

I just shot video of my Willsie Equipment digger I purchased in February.  This is the first time digging large scale like this and my biggest problem are weeds.  I grow on river bottoms and the weed banks regardless of well cultivated things are will always be a problem.  THis year my cultivation was interrupted by lots of rain four weeks prior to harvest and we had an explosion of giant rag weed.

You can see in the video just how bad the weeds are.  This year has been the worst I think...a perfect storm for the later season weeds with rain every four o five days and extreme heat.

So I just mow the tops down a week prior to harvest.  The potatoes are already dying back  so the weeds do not effect yields...just harvest.

I need a straight pass though to run the weeds out of the digger.  The Italian types have that bend in the basket for side delivery and I think it would make my problems worse.  Of course, I could be wrong, but I think the straighter pass is more...simple.

I REALLY like the digger.

Anyways, just my .02

Willsie is partnered with a Michigan company to handle US sales and I like to keep my money as close to home as possible.  I've asked them to send me more info on it so I can share.  As with all farming equipment its a balancing act...like anything manufactured these days.

Videos of the digger, including a 180 degree walk-around and digging in weeds can be seen here:



We've posted photos of the entire process on Facebook here:



Richard Stewart
Carriage House Farm
North Bend, Ohio

An Ohio Century Farm Est. 1855

(513) 967-1106



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