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Seeing that forecart gives me more hope that I could fabricate, or rather- have someone else fabricate, a similar machine but with a front or belly mounted tool bar for precision cultivation. I think the key is, like Jay mentioned with the high-wheeled homesteader, having high enough clearance to cultivate veggies at all stages. And I definitely want to learn more about the dynamics of offset draft, that seems like the trick for a tool like this being efficient for use with one horse.
I realize that for most people that the 36″ spacing works really well, but the farm I am at now as a pretty similar soil structure to my site in VT and we don’t use any intensive amendments and fairly average cover cropping techniques. I have also really enjoyed receiving the Nordell’s manual for their layout and have gleaned tons of valuable info from them, but they do explicitly state how their management system is based off having extensive tillable land-base, which is the exact opposite of what I have.
Also have not received an email back from Peiffer Center, how long is appropriate to wait to try them again? They only lead I have is to their general email, is there one that is better then that? I feel like Mac Mead is a key fabricator who would have ideas about this design if he doesn’t have his own tool.
Also, Kevin – I can’t believe you’re right on the 36 and I spent much of my last two falls and winters living in Shively and Manila. Too bad I wasn’t spending enough time on here to find out about your place. Although most of the time I spent in CA I was 100ft up in a redwood named Artemis…
Yup, I am more interested in the All-In-One with the offset draft. I feel like understanding this would help me clarify my ideas about fabrication of this type of tool. One of the things I have been thinking about is how it might even be better to have only one horse, since two horses 5′ apart might present drifting problems with those who have mismatched teams, despite foot-pedal steering. I’ve just never seen off-set draft in action with a one horse set-up.
Mostly I am interested in producing orchard crops for market and the garden will be for the household, as I have only about 2 acres of level, tillable ground. It seems like I could get away with Mc-D cultivator and JR is careful on even the most narrow of rows with the walk-behind but I am starting to be sympathetic to the idea that intensive bed cultivation is the last frontier with horse drawn equipment, and may be preventing tractor powered vegetable producers from taking horses seriously.
Is the Annie’s something that would be shown at the Cedar Mtn. open house? You guys are actually right over the mountains from my homestead in Plymouth. Also, I perused the 99′ SFJs and didn’t see the article mentioned above, perhaps I will branch out to the other years. Although I feel attached to the idea that this tool should have the sweeps traveling in front of or under the teamster.
Thanks for the interest and encouragement.
