Gardening... rotomec tiller any good?

[sassafraspete]

I love to grow a garden. I used to go in with my 2 brothers and we'd put in almost 2 acres of stuff. Sometimes got carried away with it. One time I grew 3000 bell pepper plants for market...unfortunately that yr we had a drought, and a lot of work was wasted. Recently , I have a very small garden, and enjoying it as well...since I can concentrate more on soil improvement. I have an old troy built rotor tiller that I love, but sometimes dream of a bigger garden again. This is what my wife discovered in the back of my old wood hauler truck yesterday morning.

sassafraspete

 

[sassafraspete]

OK, so I think my wife is going to forbid me going to my tractor dealer anymore. She just smiles when I drag something home, as she knows she has just another bit of leverage for spending money on her passion. And my dealer is so sneaky too, he sure knows how to tempt me...and before I know it....here I come with another implement. Well, I am only having fun with this. One reason I went with Branson, is I could get a good tractor, and save enough money over other brands that could be put to use with buying implements... which is really how you put that tractor into use. I am anxious to put this new tiller to use....but my first impression is that it is not commercial/industrial...but should be plenty good for my use. Also, it has a handy side shift feature, so I can move to one side and cover my tire track on one side. Anyway, good or bad... I guess I now own it. Here's a look at the branson and tiller meeting for the first time.

sassafras

 

[DavesTractor]

Very nice! I tilled our garden yesterday. Just some rototilling thoughts....

The Branson's don't have a true crawl range, so you'll have to take shallow cuts and make a couple of passes. If you bury it all the way down on the first pass it's tough on things and probably won't work that well. This is true of all tractors unless they have a super low crawl speed like you see on a lot of the gray market machines that are built for tilling.

With a 4020, you might be able to bring the engine speed down to about 1350 and run the PTO in the higher speed. You will result in 540 in the back but your ground speed will be much slower. Of course an engine makes much less power at 1350 so it may not pull it, depending on your soil.

What is your wife's passion? Surely all of this tractor buying is costing you somewhere?

 

[sassafraspete]

Thanks for the advice Dave. I have a very nice neighbor with a 50 hp utility tractor....that also loves to garden. He has helped me with his tractor mounted tiller several times...so I have watched his tiller at work. Our ground here is fairly heavy clay soil....so you must go several shallow passes with a tiller. I am also looking at trying to pick up a plow. I think it is helpful to plow first...then till. Also I believe after a few yrs of just tiller operation, a person needs to use a plow. If I did get a plow, what size would you recommend for the 4020? I used to pull a 2 bottom 14" Ford plow with the cutters in front of the shares...I think they are called coulters...and it also had a roller type affair on the back that rode in the furrow...I believe may have been a depth system. Anyhow, I see plows you can buy without the coulters and depth system... will these work on the 4020 or what would you recommend?

Yes there is a price to pay. I drive old clunker vehicles, while my wife tools around in a luxury jeep and my son has a nice VW. If the old clunkers fall apart, I may have to drive the tractor to work. My wife's "current" passion is attending Dave Mathew's concerts all over the country. She was out your way in Jan...went to a concert with my daughter in San Francisco....then went to Tahoe and did some skiing. (my daughter lives in south lake tahoe and works there). She spent a few days at " the Gorge" in eastern Washington last fall...also attending a concert. I had some leeway in the beginning, since I could give my story about driving the old clunkers and all the sacrificing for everyone else in the family ...but now that I have bought all these toys, I mean tools, I have lost my leverage. That is why she has a smile on her face. Does it work at your place like that too?

pete

 

[Bob_Skurka]

sassafraspete. . . the description of your compramise seems to describe many good marriages. We all have our toys and our own compramises we make to get our toys, and each of us do it in our own way.

 

[sassafraspete]

On second thought....is this just how I deal with my mid-life crisis? Life is short you know.

 

[sassafraspete]

Bob, you have 2 tractors. Want to be my mentor?

sassafras

 

[Bob_Skurka]

Pete . . . 3 running tractors if you count the Cub Cadet. And I restore Oliver tractors and generally have one of them, but right now I just have PARTS of one of them.

 

[sassafraspete]

Bob, 3 tractors? You've gone way above science and turned it into an art form. I'm probably not worthy enough to have you as my mentor. Not satisfied with 3 , I see you are looking for a new one also!!! And I thought Henro had the midas touch.

pete