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  • From: Aaron Brower <aaronbrower AT yahoo.com>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Farmall tractor
  • Date: Tue, 16 Apr 2013 18:48:27 -0700 (PDT)

I can't make a knowledgeable comment about the Cub and the Super A as I'm partial to the Allis G but I can comment on the buddingh (I assume you mean basket weeder as they also make a finger weeder). The basket weeder is a phenomenal tool. If you are fortunate enough to find a tractor with such an implement, I would recommend making the purchase if you have the finances to do so.

The basket weeder definitely works better with a flat bed. If you do not have a bed shaper there are other ways to make a bed flat, such as rolling it. Without a perfectly flat bed, the basket weeder is not as efficient but it is not 'hopeless'. I would recommend getting the bed as flat as you can this year, using your basket weeder or some other implement and building your implement collection as you are able. 

If I could give a few words about mechanizing your production, I would warn not to be too optimistic the first year with any implement. It takes a solid season to understand how to use almost any tool efficiently and skillfully. If you are learning a tractor, you should expect a learning curve there as well. The basket weeder is a precision tool, more so than almost any other that a small scale producer may acquire which means it takes even more skill than your typical implement, however, it will also be your favorite and your biggest time saver once you've mastered it.

If I were in your position, I would buy the Super A with the basket weeder and at the same time find a tine weeder (http://www.farmallcub.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=50259) or some similar tool that is not so precise. This could probably be found or assembled for a couple hundred. The advantage here is that while you are learning to handle the tractor, the implement won't be doing much damage to the vegetables on an established bed. If you are learning to use the basket weeder, after the first pass you will have cut the tops off all your carrots. The first year you could be learning the tractor, using the basket weeder to cultivate stale beds before sowing and use the tine weeder to weed while you were learning. Next winter try to find or manufacture a bed shaper. 

I do not say any of this to discourage your inclination to mechanize. To the contrary, I would definitely recommend it, but know there is a steep learning curve and to expect some frustrations along the way. 

Aaron


From: Etienne Goyer <etienne AT lejardinduvillage.ca>
To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Tuesday, April 16, 2013 9:09 PM
Subject: [Market-farming] Farmall tractor

Good evening everyone,

This season, I want to try my hand at mechanizing some of the weeding.
I've got my eyes on two old Farmall in my area, a Cub and a Super A.
Both are equipped with a Buddhing.  I have never worked with any of
these machines before.

Firstly, I am working on 6" raised beds, 60" center-to-center, with
about 36" bed tops.  I understand the Cub is limited on the bed width it
can straddle to about 36", so it might be a little tight for my system.
I guess the Super A might be better suited for the spacing I have here.

Secondly, I wonder how well these works with raised beds.  The ground
clearance is good, that is not the problem.  I am more concerned about
the height adjustment of the toolbar.  How well does that work with
raised beds?

Finally, I understand the buddhing perform best on a perfectly flat bed.
Mine aren't.  My field is not perfectly flat, and my bedding system is
still being perfected, so the bed height can vary by an inch or two in
places.  Is using the buddhing hopeless in these conditions?

Thanks for any insight you care to share.


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

"Changer le monde, une betterave à la fois"

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