Annie’s All iin one and pioneer homesteader

[wally b]

I read on here that there was some interest in the Annie’s all in one multi-tool and the pioneer homesteader. I have a ‘all in one’ and really like it for one or two horses. I have demo’ed the pioneer homesteader. If you want my opinion on either implement email me at:
walt@workhorseworkshops.comm

[Jonathan Shively]

Wally, any reason you just don’t post the comparison between the two and your review of the Homesteader right here on this thread?

[Kevin Cunningham]

I would be interested in hearing your opinions on both systems as I have considered both. They are slightly different tools for different applications but I am curious to know what you think about either one as a general all around farm tool. Please do a review here, enquiring mind want to know.

[mcm]

I am very interested to hear about anyone’s experience with the Annie’s All in One. I’ve looked at all of their literature and it seems like this is something that one person and one horse could handle.

I an interested in hearing about its durability.

[dominiquer60]

Kevin Cunningham uses one with his oxen, if he doesn’t respond here, you can find him in our facebook group.

[Kevin Cunningham]

The design on the All-in-One is simple and while it might not fit every single application I love using ours. It is easy to handle and Annie designed it to work with a single horse. We use it with our team of oxen and the simple hitch point and design works great for us. But with oxen it can’t be used solo so it always takes two people to run it. The quality is very high, which is mirrored in the price. She did not use cheap steal to build it and it is an heirloom quality tool, which is something you don’t find much any more. I think the All in One is great but it may not fit everybody’s system. So you just need to evaluate what you want to do.

[mcm]

Thanks for the info.

Unfortunately I can’t get on Facebook. They always want to send a code to my cell phone that doesn’t work here. I have to drive up the road, get the code, drive back and log in. Just isn’t worth it.

[Hoof Beet Farm]

I’ve been strongly considering the All-in-One with ripper for my quarter pony. I’m looking to move to no-till/min-till with a roller/crimper over a cover crop, then the ripper through to furrow for planting. Is a 750lb pony capable of this kind of draft? And I was wondering if the cover crop residue building up on the shank might be an issue. If so, could I get the jointer assembly for the Pioneer walking plow and clamp it on ahead of the ripper tooth to cut the residue for the shank to pass through? Or would it be better to mow the cover crop instead of rolling it for the ripper to work? I’m totally open to suggestions, including better methods and implements than the ones I think will work.

[carl ny]

I would guess that it depends on the build of the pony, the “draftier” the better. Also, I don’t know how hard that implement pulls. I had a team of ponies (12 hand pony mare and her 12 1/2 hand son by a Quarter Horse stud). I use to skid small to medium size logs with them, I just had to take it easy with the medium logs. Someone will jump in and tell you if it pulls easy enough.

Carl nny

[carl ny]

P.S.- I would guess that it might be a little to much for one pony. JMHO

Carl nny

[Hoof Beet Farm]

The demonstration videos show both a pony about his size pulling it in an actual garden, and a pony even smaller “cultivating” in an arena, which is why I wondered. I’d love to see actual draft numbers for it to compare to what I can work him up to pulling on a sled. Sometimes the little guys are surprising in their pound-for-pound strength. But I also may end up springing for a second pony before I get the tool!

[Crabapple Farm]

Having a pony a little smaller than yours, and having seen the All in One in person but not used it, I would say that as a general tool, your pony could do a lot with it. As far as ripping through rolled cover crops, I think that depends on how dense the residue is, what your soil is like, and how deep you are trying to get. I think for that task, a slightly heavier tool like an I&J Walking Plow, Pony cultivator, or the new One Horse Toolbar (see thread from a month or so ago) might stay in the ground better, and all are of a scale that a Pony can pull. I’ve been debating the merits of these tools in my head for a while now, but haven’t decided on one yet, so can’t give experience based advice (so far my pony’s just been using old walking cultivators).
-Tevis

[Hoof Beet Farm]

Thanks for the feedback Tevis! I played with a Homesteader at Tiller’s last summer, and I was set on that (and buying a team) until I came across the All-in-One (which might fit the pony I’ve already got), I’ve also looked at the One Horse Toolbar, and I’m definitely weighing the options. I’ve got about a year to decide, and maybe something new will come out in that time…or maybe I’ll attempt to build something myself.

[Kevin Cunningham]

Having used the single shank ripper with my oxen I would think that it wold be too much draft for a pony of that size. I am not experienced with horses but I think it might be too much. I often find with my team of oxen that there is what they can pull (maximum) and what the should pull (minimum) and then the honest work level (somewhere in between). When I am using the animals in the garden I want the draft level to be on the lower end of their capacity. In other words even if an animal can pull it you don’t want them using their full exertion to do garden work. Garden work should be done at a nice easy pace and it also needs to be done for longer periods of time. Sure my team can pull a heavy log for a short distance and I want to use that training to build the animal up so that when I hitch the garden tools to them that they can have a nice easy but honest work session. In my experience (which is rather short) animals don’t enjoy walking in circles all day, so if you are adding in high levels of exertion they will quickly tire mentally and physically.

[Richard Williams]

Now that they’ve been in production for a few years, I would love to hear from anyone who has been using the pioneer homesteader. Is there anyone who has been relying heavily on one in a market garden who might care to write something about it? I’ve been searching for a McD or similar riding cultivator locally but to no avail (a few in the bushes but very rough). We grow about 3 acres of vegetables for CSA and market. I’m considering the homesteader with all tools except the plow and possibly disc since we already have those. Not being able to cultivate the wheel tracks seems like an obstacle.
This looked like the best thread to add on to.
Thanks in advance! Still have snow on the ground and temps well below freezing in the next week here in west quebec.

Richard

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