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  • From: KAKerby AT aol.com
  • To: market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] making raised beds
  • Date: Thu, 16 Feb 2012 10:16:41 -0500 (EST)

One option here is to buy the BCS used.  We did that several years ago, buying ours for half the cost of new.  It served us well until I left it outside one winter, which allowed one wheel brake to lock up an the carb to get mucked up.  Still cheaper to repair it than buy new.  The range of implements is pretty impressive too, and some of those are relatively easy to find used.  The Earthtools folks have a Used Implements section of their website that might be worth watching, and craigslist often has used implements (at least in our area).  We've gotten both our rototiller and our sickle bar mower that way.  Getting our BCS up and running this spring is fairly high on my to-do list, and happily it's simple enough mechanically that I can do most of that work myself.  Just haven't had time yet to get after it.  Most of our early beds are already set to go, or need something I can do without the BCS, so I have the luxury this winter/spring to work on other things first.  But later this year I'll be needing it, so it's definitely on my get-it-running-soon list.
Kathryn Kerby
frogchorusfarm.com
Snohomish, WA
Ruminations - essays on the farming life at frogchorusfarm.com/weblog.html
 
In a message dated 2/16/2012 6:51:30 A.M. Pacific Standard Time, etienne AT lejardinduvillage.ca writes:
Hi Harriet,

I am in the market for a walk-behind tiller next season.  I am
considering a BCS/Grillo, but they are really expensive.  I guess, if it
is your sole soil-working machine, it makes sense to put a couple
thousands toward it, and have a one that is versatile and reliable.  But
it is hard to justify the difference for a machine I would use just a
couple times a year.  I would rather buy a cheaper tiller (a Troy-Bilt,
very likely), and invest the balance in tractor implements.  They're not
any more expensive than walk-behind implements (sometime, they're
cheaper, even), and they get the job done a lot faster.

But then, I've got 10 acres.  In term, I am hoping to have 5 acres in
vegetables, and 5 in cover crop, so I *will* need a tractor for soil
prep and mowing at that scale.  If I was staying at one acre or so, a
walk-behind tractor would indeed make a lot more sense.

I have to admit: the Berta plow is an intriguing implement, though.
It's worth watching the video on the Earthway Tools web site!  :)

Cheers,

Etienne



On 12-02-16 09:20 AM, Harriet Allen wrote:
> I've got a Grillo Italian two-wheel tractor with a Berta plow. The
> raised beds are quick and easy with this and it is a good little tractor
> for an acre or so with a great tiller attachment. Also the BCS is the
> more common two-wheeled tractor available and takes the Berta Plow.
>
> If you are in the market for something like this, the smallest tractor
> would run you just over $2,000 and the plow just under $1,000. I got the
> smallest tractor that would accomodate the plow and sometimes wish I had
> gotten the larger one for clearance. I have larger tires than came with
> the tractor.
>
> *Hattie's Garden*
> 31341 Kendale Rd.
> Lewes, DE 19958
> 302-945-0350

--
Etienne Goyer  -  Le Jardin du Village
http://lejardinduvillage.wordpress.com

"Changer le monde, une betterave à la fois"

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