A small farm.. where to start?

   / A small farm.. where to start? #1  

Torrak

Member
Joined
Nov 14, 2005
Messages
25
Location
Washington State
Tractor
Kubota BX24
Hi all,

So, the wife and I have decided that this is the year to begin growing some veggies and I have absolutely no clue where to begin.

We own 9 acres, and plan on planting about 3 acres of various veggies such as corn, pumpkins, beans, etc. the other 6 will just be watered and mowed as usual.

Currently, all I own is a Kubota BX-24 sub compact with ag tires and 24 hp, and a brush hog style 48" mower.

What type of implements am I going to need to plant this? A disc? Rotatiller? Etc. What size disc (if I need one) would a BX-24 be able to pull? Etc.

Any input is appreciated!

Joe
 
   / A small farm.. where to start? #2  
3 acres is a big plot o vegitables,I grow about a half acre garden,got a 5 ft tiller for my 25 h.p. tractor,[chinese nortrac jinma],,wouldn't want to till anymores,,got a single bottom plow,which is very slow going,think its a 14 inch,[plows about 14 inches a pass,width],,got an 8 h.p. troybuilt walkbehind that I go between rows to weed and hoe.Maybe get somebody to plow and disk it up for you with a bigger tractor and use a smaller tiller behind your tractor to go between wide spaced rows?Maybe just start smaller first year or so and build up and you'll see what alls you need? thingy
 
   / A small farm.. where to start? #3  
I use a disc similar to this to break up the ground, then I have a walk behind tiller to do as Thingy says, lay out my rows and weed with when plants come up. Welcome to TBN, would like to see some pics of your place, proposed garden site, tractor, etc.

King Kutter Incorporated
 
   / A small farm.. where to start? #4  
I would go for a small rototiller for the tractor.

Then I would plan out the garden site to be maintenance friendly. Consider raised beds for some items, especially perennials like asparagus, strawberries, raspberries, etc. and herbs. Make other raised beds wide enough for the rototiller. Some raised beds could be set up for plastic covers for early starts. Grass could be planted between the beds for easy maintenance. Plan a few other areas for general growing. On the overall plan keep the height of produce and shading in mind.

Several items to note. Make sure the garden plot is smooth. Don't expect great results for the first several years. Consider size and what happens to the end product.

Also have the soil tested and adjust as required.

And do have fun and tickle your palate with some fresh cooked vegetables. :D :D
 
   / A small farm.. where to start?
  • Thread Starter
#5  
The reason I was thinking 3 acres is to try to produce enough vegetables to supplement my teaching pay. Also, if we lose money, it would be good for a tax write-off.

So does a disc and a rototiller do the same thing, only the rototiller is PTO driven and breaks the ground up better? Or do you disc then till? Also, to make raised beds, do you simply use a plow?

My friend told me that my BX would not pull a decent sized disc, but I have pulled stumps out of the ground and dragged jeeps and trucks out of the mud with it, I have trouble believing that in 4 lo this tractor couldn't effectively disc dirt. Any thoughts on that?

For BTDT, here is a picture of the field I was planning on planting.. not the best shot. It is my southern field and has full sun.
sfieldlarge.jpg
 
   / A small farm.. where to start? #6  
The land looks beautiful.

Basically a plow and a rototiller both are "primary cultivation", i.e. turning over the soil to kill the existing growth and loosen it for planting. A disc is a type of harrow, which is normally for smoothing the rows and clods after you plow. Discs are pretty aggressive and may be able to replace plowing in some cases. (there is also something called a disc plow, which functions as a plow but uses rotating discs instead of a fixed moldboard.) The rototiller is pretty much all-in-one and may be the best option for your small area. They don't like rocks or really hard soils, but you haven't mentioned either of those as a problem.

Raised beds probably could be made with a plow, but you would more typically build them up with other dirt moving devices - a FEL, box blade, shovel, etc. I've also seen the technique of using a middlebuster (a plow that throws dirt to both sides) and using the areas where dirt is thrown as the raised bed.

For discing and plowing you need to maintain a minimum speed to be effective. You don't have a minimum speed for rototilling, and if you can vary your speed (like with an HST transmission) then you can get best results.

As for the tax write-off, if your farm is classified as a hobby by the IRS, your losses on it can only be used to offset profits on the farm, not your other income. Might want to chat with a CPA or at least review the IRS publications on business expenses and deductions.
 
   / A small farm.. where to start? #7  
What part of Washington are you in? The photo looks like the Yakima Valley.

I grew up in Prosser and miss the simple life.

Cheers
 
   / A small farm.. where to start? #8  
That field looks pretty remote, do you have a source of water nearby?

If not, you may want to set some hose bibs in a few strategic locations before you setup the garden.
 
   / A small farm.. where to start? #9  
3 acres is a lot to care for...have you checked out where you would sell your produce?
Losing money for a tax write-off is still losing money.
I grow 2 acres of produce that I sell at the farmers market. I plow, then disk, then rotary till before planting. Its hard work. Read as much as you can about it before jumping in. Good luck.
 
   / A small farm.. where to start? #10  
I have a 2 acre garden and after using all kind of different equipment I found that the following works for me and the cost was very reasonable.
1 bottom plow $75
8ft disk $125
2 row cultivator $45
middle buster plow (potatoes) $75

I tried tillers but found that in rocky soil the plow and disk works better.
All the equipment was purchased at auctions.
 

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