[Jelmer]

Hello Wiebren,

Good to hear from you here.

Like Jeroen, it does good to know more Dutch are on Dapnet here.

Concerning your search in Europe for implements, there are few new innovative European brands around.
Albano Moscardo, ownes a one mane company called “Noi e ill Cavallo” making new implements. He has quite some experience on that. Recently I bought a Multi V, a modern simple tool carrier. It can carry 14 different tools. It’s light and easy to adjust.
Here a link

I’m a member of Schaff mat Paerd, a none-profit organisation which wants to stimulate and innovate the use of draft animals and its implements. We are working on several projects as making new implements. Currently on a potato planter and different tool carriers.
Here a link to that.

Your name sounds very Frisian to me…
Myself I farm in Friesland with a Frisian horse for cultivating .my asparagus patch.
Here’s a link to my farm’s website. (it will appear this year in English aswell).

Good luck with your search.

Groetnis,

Jelmer.

• This reply was modified 7 years, 2 months ago by Jelmer.

[Jelmer]

Hi Jared,

That is very nice to hear side note. I know who you met, cool, thanks!
When you do meet Dan or Hannelore again, please say hello on my behalf. Nice small world out here.

[Jelmer]

Hello Billy,

Are you familiar with the Multi V from Italy?

I am thinking of buying that implement, it is light, well adjustable and good to use for multi-purposes.
At the end of this month I may try one out with the manufacturer. If I was to buy one, I would buy the basic (built on) tools and when successful extend the collection of tools.

Also Albano keeps on developing new tools, the disc hillers and de-hillers are the latest tool built.

[Jelmer]

Thanks Jeroen.

Billy,
Making raised beds by hand is a good experience, “I’ve been in that furrow too”.

A traditional North American plow could make raised bed too. I like the simple and easy adjusting of a balance plow. The tradional ones (US made) seem like good light one to operate to me. My friend Tommy Flowers from Blackville South Carolina has a lot experience on such plows and sells them, as well as many parts (phone 803 259 6500).

Here is the equivinum website:

Hope this helps.

[Jelmer]

Another attempt for documents on 2 old European tool carriers failed. I can’t place it by PDF nor Word.

Stephen Leslie’s second book is a great source and covers allot on tool carriers.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 4 months ago by Jelmer.

[Jelmer]

Well to try to upload the 2 documents on the Melotte and Kockerling is failing, I’ll try again tomorrow…

[Jelmer]

Ron,

You could call the “middlebuster” a hiller too, same thing, only here with a guide (in the soil) to stay centered.

Thank you & cheers,

Jelmer.

[Jelmer]

Thank you Ron.

The implements seen in the first video (in the raised bed culture) are:
1. A plow with wooden beam and one handle.
2. A hiller or “middle buster” to clear away the last part. To stay in place the implement as U-
shaped guide upside down (to keep it “in track”).
3. A harrow.

In the second video the “plow-pole” is held by the second man. That plow-pole serves to strike down (or flatten) the last plow pass. So a nice edge is left behind on the bed.
In the part where the plow-pole is used for the second time (1:35), it is placed a little lower on the plow to make a good edge.

Jelmer.

[Jelmer]

second attempt adding picture

[Jelmer]

Have you heard of the one horse mower from E-Z trail mfg. Ohio? See attached picture (does somebody have a better picture of this mower?).
They make a 1 horse mower designed for mowing inbetween plastic beds to mow the covercrops. That mower can be useable in orchards as well. It can be build in various lengths, so you can have it to you row distances.
The cost is 1.895 $

For more info on this mower:
E-Z Trail Mfg.
9575 Salt Creek Road
Fredericksburg Ohio 44627
phone: 330-287-0496

[Jelmer]

Sorry for this late response Daniel.
The first farmers here in Holland are getting manure spread and preparing the fields and time is starting to fly again.

Sure I have many thoughts on a comparison between the brands. Here’s a few:

The Melotte is the heaviest build and would do best wider row spacings (it can carry more weight of parallel suspensions on the toolbar).
The Kockerling and Bucher are both lighter build and for a smaller working width. You can make the toolbar wider when prefered, or find another sollution when preferred. Where you run into with the Kockerling is that it does not work with parallel suspensions. Which makes work (on a “wider” work width) go less precise. The Bucher works with parallel suspensions, so there is advantage. By looking at it, I think the parallel suspensions of the new made Bucher might not work as good as the ones made by the companies.

The steering of the Bucher and Kockerling are simular, both wheels and toolbar are moveable at the same time. This works nice. With the Melotte you only move the toolbar right or left. Though this work good too in precision hoeing.

The original steer on the Bucher was low placed and not in height adjustable. That will probably change with the new one.
The other brands have a bycicle-like shaped steer. Which I find practical in the field, there’s only one handle bar sticking out backwards instead of two. And gives more space for you to get to the toolbar to change or adjust tools. A small difference.

Tool carriers come with different shaped toolbars. Triangle, rectangular, square. The last option is what many “tool companies” go by. So square shaped can there for be practical and offer more easier options to more buildt on tools.

What is nice about the Kockerling is that the toolbar can be taken off and easily be changed. Almost like unhitching a tree-point-hitch toolcarrier behind a tractor. Yet with a Kockerling it goes faster. So when having several toolbars, all setup for different tasks, you can change from hoeing to hilling in less than a minute. Instead of mounting off and on each tool seperately.
This Kockerling toolbar system can be easily adapted.
Some tractor farmers here have multiple 3-point-hitch toolbars. For unhichting they add support wheels on both sided of toolbar. So then when unhitched it can roll on a concrete floor. And easily be switched with a other toolbar and be moved around unhitched. For a heavy wide toolbar this is a nice thing to have.

[Jelmer]

Hey Daniel,

This is very interesting news to see.

The Bucher is a good implement with good potential for future cultivation work. Nice how they continue where Bucher stopped.

The bicycle framed tool carrier shows how light it can be.

Vive la France 🙂

[Jelmer]

Hello Jared,

Nice video, I haven´t used a ground driven (horizontal) rotary harrow. But I have seen them laying around and in books.

The ground driven rotary harrow is like you mentioned an old principle. Such a harrow has one or two circle shaped harrows.

A horse drawn single circle harrow can have a weight on top, which is positioned perpendicular on the pulling/moving direction and placed one side of the spinning axle. And can be positioned over this length in- and outward. This makes that the teeth go deeper in the soil (on that side). This creates more friction on one side of the harrow and makes the harrow turn. The more this weight is placed towards the centre, the more faster the harrow spins.
First the proper line of draft (angle) is set and then weight is set. Which position depends on soiltype, moisture and hardiness of the top layer.
Added is a picture of such a single circle harrow, I have no close-up pictures…

I would not think from the theoratical point of view, that this creates side draft. When used on a hard surface the harrow will move sidewards. Because the harrow can´t digg in.
Some models have curved teeth to better digg in, though “common” are the straight teeth.

The harrows with double circles are mounted on an vertical axle that tilts (set on an angle) to work the same as the single circle. (see picture)
I’ve seen one version of the double circles that uses the circles as wheels in the transport mode. And in the field is changed to working position. Shown in the other picture.

The three point hitch models are set to “digging” with the top link. This is in line with the of moving direction.

This way of harrowing also has the effect of less crop residue clogging up.

Another tractor version is shown in the video, as said to believe it works good in the barrel racing and rodeo arena aswell.
🙂

Jelmer.

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVhQWGOTdnw[/video]

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[Jelmer]

Continueing on the old mower with upgraded double knives:

This Mc Cormick D-10 mower has been changed from a single knive mower to a double knive mower. Today was the first try out, which went really well. Soon they will be cutting the second cut with it.
This was in Germany (I wasn´t there), here the pictures:

Best,

Jelmer

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[Jelmer]

Thanks for sharing the pictures, its great impression.

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