Market Farming

[Thomas Kumpf <tjkumpf AT yahoo.com>]

I have used several seeders over the years:

1.) Earthway
2.) 1 and 4 Row pinpoint seeders from Johnny's
3.) Planet Jr. model 300
4.) Planet jr. Model #25

    A friend has the "European" seeder from Johnny's, which I think has a few 
similarities to the Planet Jr., mostly that it uses discs with assorted hole 
sizes and "drills" in the seed and doesn't singulate like the earthway will.  
    I like the planet jr, a drill type (non-singulation, drill type) b/c it 
is durable and is nearly impossible to wear out.  To avoid thinning crops 
like carrots, I mix the seed with a comparably sized flowable ingredient in 
the hopper.  For carrots I used Kelp meal by espoma, about a 50/50 mixture 
and get nearly perfect stands.  For beets, I used a pelleted organic 
fertilizer that was about the same size at 50/50.  Old Planet Jr. model #4 
and #25 have a star wheel on the back of the hopper to alternately open/close 
the gate at the bottom of the hopper to drop seeds at certain intervals.  The 
call this a "hill and drill" seeder, which mimics planting seeds every 6" or 
12" so you don't have to thin.  Kinda like Eliot Colemans "multiplant" soil 
blocks.
     The two most important features, IMO, are the opening shoe and rear 
press wheel on the Planet Jr.  The standard opening shoe makes a nice furrow 
with a little crisp line at the bottom which helps to wick up moisture to the 
seed.  The rear press wheel is a two piece wheel (rt. and left halves) that 
form a convex hill shape to the soil with a little zone of loose soil at the 
top b/c the two wheel halves have a little gap between them.  This looks a 
little line on the top of the rows "hill" that goes in the same direction of 
travel.  This loose zone of soil allows better seed emergence by preventing 
soil crusting and is a genius design.  This works great in my sandy soil, 
where a downpour almost certainly spells doom for carrots.
     The Planet Jr. (now known as Cole) is still available new, and many used 
ones are out there on craigslist and ebay  I think it is a better unit than 
the European one from Johnny's.  It will plant nearly anything, including 
beans.  I still use the Earthway for stuff I don't want to thin (corn, 
cucumbers, etc.).  I use my Pinpoint seeders from Johnnys for high density 
plantings of salad mix, arugula, Hakurei turnips, etc., especially in the 
hoophouses.  As for the Jang, I have looked at them and think they are OK, I 
think they are pretty expensive when you factor in the price of all the 
different seed wheels you need, especially if you are a grower who grows many 
things. I think it needs a better rear press wheel, and dont like how the one 
person said that beets get jammed up in it.  I would think it would do the 
same with corn or beans, but someone else can attest to that.
      Good luck, good seeders are expensive and worth every penny.
     Tom Kumpf

www.double-t-farm.com

     Now a Farmigo user!