Here in the Upper Midwest, we still have time to check over our equipment one last time before we get into the field. Actually, if this weather keeps up, we’ll have time to check over it a few more times before we get into the field – which makes it all the more important that everything is in tip-top shape and ready to go. Late springs mean that everything has to happen that much faster, and with that much less margin for error.
I’m always surprised at how much equipment that’s bolted together tends to shift over the course of the season. I’m sure that there are some farmers who don’t have problems with this, but I've always struggled with it. Maybe our bumpy field entrances shake things loose, or maybe I’m just not very good at turning a wrench.
Lots of my equipment at Rock Spring Farm has the three point hitch A-frame bolted to the toolbar that holds the seeders, transplanting units, or other working elements. I was preparing a seeder for sale the other day and noticed that the A-frame for the three point hitch was more than three inches off center. I don't think this is the result of freezing and thawing over the winter, so this spacing discrepancy means that everything we seeded with that seeder last year - or at least the last time we had it out - was three inches off of the center of the bed.
Of course, if you do any kind of mechanical cultivating, this is a huge problem. One pair of outside rows is six inches closer to each other than they should be, so you’re likely to be throwing dirt on the first row of the next bed with your track sweeps; and on the other side, the pair of outside rows is too far apart, and you’re likely to be missing a strip of weeds down the middle of the wheel track – and that translates into either hand weeding or weed seeds, neither of which we really want more of in our world.
I've seen the same thing happen to cultivating equipment. My Buddingh basket weeder especially has a tendency to drift.
When bolting equipment onto a diamond or a square tool bar, you’ll get the sturdiest mount if you ensure that the faces of the clamps are all equally flat on the toolbar. Tighten one bolt a little, then the next. Taking your time with the initial setup will save time and headaches over the course of the season.
Take the time now to check over the spacing on your equipment, and add it to the list of things you check each time you take it out to the field, at least visually if not with a tape measure.
I’m always surprised at how much equipment that’s bolted together tends to shift over the course of the season. I’m sure that there are some farmers who don’t have problems with this, but I've always struggled with it. Maybe our bumpy field entrances shake things loose, or maybe I’m just not very good at turning a wrench.
Lots of my equipment at Rock Spring Farm has the three point hitch A-frame bolted to the toolbar that holds the seeders, transplanting units, or other working elements. I was preparing a seeder for sale the other day and noticed that the A-frame for the three point hitch was more than three inches off center. I don't think this is the result of freezing and thawing over the winter, so this spacing discrepancy means that everything we seeded with that seeder last year - or at least the last time we had it out - was three inches off of the center of the bed.
Of course, if you do any kind of mechanical cultivating, this is a huge problem. One pair of outside rows is six inches closer to each other than they should be, so you’re likely to be throwing dirt on the first row of the next bed with your track sweeps; and on the other side, the pair of outside rows is too far apart, and you’re likely to be missing a strip of weeds down the middle of the wheel track – and that translates into either hand weeding or weed seeds, neither of which we really want more of in our world.
I've seen the same thing happen to cultivating equipment. My Buddingh basket weeder especially has a tendency to drift.
When bolting equipment onto a diamond or a square tool bar, you’ll get the sturdiest mount if you ensure that the faces of the clamps are all equally flat on the toolbar. Tighten one bolt a little, then the next. Taking your time with the initial setup will save time and headaches over the course of the season.
Take the time now to check over the spacing on your equipment, and add it to the list of things you check each time you take it out to the field, at least visually if not with a tape measure.
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