market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: Market Farming
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- From: KAKerby AT aol.com
- To: market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
- Subject: Re: [Market-farming] BCS vs. Troy-bilt
- Date: Thu, 12 May 2011 11:16:27 -0400 (EDT)
I'll third the experience with Earth Tools and comments about the BCS and
graduating to a "real" tractor. That's been our experience, almost
verbatim, right down the line.
We got our BCS 8xx (don't remember exactly which one) about three years ago
to do tillage on a 1/2 acre plot that we had previously been working with hand
tools. I could get work done out there in an hour which previously had
taken all day. I am also a relatively small woman, 5'5", mid 40's
age. Strong for my size but still can be bested by a heavy alfalfa bale,
particularly when my shoulders or knees aren't at their best (which is
often). I had no problems with the BCS. The amount of work it saved
me was its saving grace because I can take an hour of tillage with that a lot
better than I can take 6 hrs on my knees weeding or carrying around the line
trimmer. The folks at Earth Tools have been great to work with, including
diagnosing a carburetor problem that had me tearing it apart and rebuilding it a
lot. One of the things I love about the BCS is that it uses a lot of the
same design mentality as a standard bicycle, with cables running from the
handles to the gears and engine controls. So I was able to troubleshoot
and fix most of the issues myself.
But fast forward to the present, and yes now we're shopping for an
honest-to-goodness tractor. That pasture we rented this year will need to
be mown, and hayed if possible, often with small windows of agreeable
weather. The BCS does have haymaking tools but they are rare enough here
that I'd have to buy them new from Europe, and they're slow. I'd be able
to cut, rake and bale about an acre or two a day with that equipment, when for
the same money and easier parts availability I can cut, rake and bale an acre an
hour with conventional tractor equipment. Our goals for small-scale fodder
and grains production are all in the same boat. We just need to
cover more ground, more quickly, with bigger, easily-sourced
implements. So I'm working with several older farmers who are looking
for good homes for their precious older tractors and implements, such that I
learn how to take care of that new level of equipment, and they get to turn
over that precious metal to someone who will actually use it instead of just
decorate a yard with it. (PS - anyone with lots of Farmall C and
M experience, let me know). The BCS will still be in the market garden
this year and probably for the rest of time. If we had stayed at that
production level, it would have been fine for the rest of time. But it
just can't handle the larger production goals we have now.
Kathryn Kerby
frogchorusfarm.com
Snohomish, WA
Ruminations - essays on the farming life at
frogchorusfarm.com/weblog.html |
-
Re: [Market-farming] BCS vs. Troy-bilt,
Pam Twin Oaks, 05/11/2011
-
Re: [Market-farming] BCS vs. Troy-bilt,
idyllwild farm, 05/12/2011
-
Re: [Market-farming] BCS vs. Troy-bilt,
Richard Robinson, 05/12/2011
- Re: [Market-farming] BCS vs. Troy-bilt, idyllwild farm, 05/12/2011
-
Re: [Market-farming] BCS vs. Troy-bilt,
Richard Robinson, 05/12/2011
- <Possible follow-up(s)>
-
Re: [Market-farming] BCS vs. Troy-bilt,
Mac, 05/12/2011
- [Market-farming] BCS vs. Troy-bilt, Tom & Melanie, 05/12/2011
- Re: [Market-farming] BCS vs. Troy-bilt, Beth Spaugh, 05/12/2011
-
Re: [Market-farming] BCS vs. Troy-bilt,
KAKerby, 05/12/2011
- Re: [Market-farming] BCS vs. Troy-bilt, Road's End Farm, 05/12/2011
-
Re: [Market-farming] BCS vs. Troy-bilt,
idyllwild farm, 05/12/2011
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