Right tractor for organic farm

[Caribooser]

The absolute best tractor for a farm like yours for row crop work is a farmall 140.

I second this,

We have a community farm about the same size as you up in BC called C.E.E.D.S. doing market/row crop gardens, cattle, sheep and hay. We bought a Farmall 140 three years ago for use in the gardens, I would strongly recommend one or at least an offset. For cultivation the 'cultivision' (offset) is unbeatable and I haven't seen a tractor built these days that has the same ground clearance and width.

As for hay, we do small squares and have an IH 574 and MF 65 for that task. I don't think you could expect either of those tractors to do anything in a garden once the initial rototilling/manure spreading is done. Definently would look into an old Farmall and keep the JD for now, no sense in trying to make one tractor do everything! :thumbsup:

 

[bp fick]

These photos came off the OP's website through the link provided.

In the first photo, these look to be traditional rows, look to be 44-48 inch spaced rows. OK. While those are wide spacing, that is the way traditional row crops have always been done, from vegetables to tobacco.

In the second photo, we see some different approaches to planting. We see two plants, side by side. In yet another photo, I believe, I saw as many as 4-6 plants, side by side, in a "bed" 30" wide.

The difficulty I see in what I'll call wide bed planting is that once those beds are planted, one is about done using a tractor. In most versions of this I've seen, the high plant density, wide beds have just a narrow walking/working path in between these wide beds. Again, a tractor would be of very little use in cultivation during the growing season the way a tractor with cultivator is traditionally used with row planting.

 

[bp fick]

Here are two more photos..

The first is Jerome Lange, Kentucky's premier organic gardener. Jerome plants onions, garlic, lettuce, well, most everything in wide beds. Plants are 4-8 plants wide, depending on the variety. Jerome would have no use for a tractor in this system.

In contrast, the second photo is of some sweet corn in one of our gardens. It is planted on 44" row. I had just run the cultivator down those rows.

My question to the OP remains this. What system or systems of planting, over the proposed 5 acres, will the community gardeners be using? It is impossible to give responsible answers without this information. Or, we can joke about B100 or "organic tractors" or what not.

 

[gmcarlmrnet]

Thanks for everyone's replies. You realize when you ask a question and put it out their what you need to know to even ask the right question. I don't know how they are thinking about planting the rows this year but will see if I can get my brother to join the conversation. Greg, are you there?

 

[LaughingLoonFarm]

Hi all, I'll chime in here. I'm a beginning vegetable farmer renting land from the OP and designing the tractor system for the whole farm. Not a tractor expert, so I could use all the advice I can get. Here's more info and background:

- Beds are 60" on center (48" bed top), with either one, two or three rows of crops planted in each bed.
- We have a Farmall A with cultivators that we'll use with Buddingh basket weeders for fine cultivation. We still have to adjust the wheels out to the right width.
- We need a tractor for tillage, pulling a water wheel transplanter, and blind cultivation using a Williams Tool System. This tractor must straddle a 48" wide bed, have tires that are no more than 12" wide, and either have a creeper gear or be hydrostatic in order to go slow enough for transplanting. Ideally it would be a category II, 50-60hp, and have a 3 pt hitch.

Any tractors come to mind that fit this description?

 

[jschreib26]

Howdy,
Nice to see your post, as I'm currently looking for almost exactly the same type of tractor -- to farm a 5-acre market garden here in WI. Don't need as much hp though, really.

All the compact tractors I've been looking at have such narrow wheel bases (but is the correct term wheel "track?" -- I'm confused about that.) Online, some do make "spacers" to widen the track, but I am unsure what that would do to machine handling, performance, etc.

Am currently honing in on the possibility of an "L" series Kubota which, with the wheels all flipped out and narrower ag tires put on, might (I think) approach the 48 inches you (and I) want. I'm sure Deere et. al have comparable models, but I'm not sure of their wheel width.

Like you, I don't want to use this for cultivation -- only bed prep, stale seedbedding, bed shaping, etc. Also want a loader to manage compost piles. Also like you, I'd love for it to do double duty haying sometime in the next few years.

Not sure some on here understand the concept of a growing "bed" -- a clear area (in this case 48 inches wide) that the tractor wheels will straddle and which will hold a varying number of rows of different crops -- say 4 rows of spinach, or 3 rows of broccoli, etc.

 

[JiminGa]

HP is not as high as you are looking for and it's cat one but the 3x30 series Deere's will do everything you're looking to do and I'm pretty sure the width is right for your beds. I'm doing beds this year for some of my veggies but mine are half the size to fit my scut...so far I think it's working ok, If I can keep the rabbits out.

 

[deeref935]

I read all the post I gotta say I'm kinda lost on all the post I got one question in using the 955 I'm just kinda curious maybe a dumb question but how is ground clearance with the 955? Is it low only reason I ask is cause my draw bar on my 755 is not high off the ground I'm a jd all the way but going with older IH may be the right way cause purchase price is lower than older
JD in most cases just curious on your ground clearance thing

 

[marnun]

A new JD with a bucket and a hydrostatic transmission would be perfect. We use a JD4720 at work and we just set the cruise control for transplanting--super easy. If that is too expensive, I would go with a Massey 150 or 165 diesel for a primary tractor and a farmall cub with belly mounted sweeps and rear mounted lely tines. A second cub with a basket weeder would be nice too. I wouldn't worry about the a 12" tire width, a 18" path is fine and easier to walk in anyway.

 

[ironwood]

So, I know it is time to be out there working the ground, but what did you do?

I agree with the cultivision comments, I had a Cub Lowboy wit hal lthe gadgets, as did my grandfather and uncles, HOWEVER all you are really concerned with is wheel width and clearence. I too am contemplating an organic set up here on our small acreage and the 955 (my current tractor) can do all that. What you REALLY need are rims/tires that can get you both width and height. The ag tires (narrow) and the rims are the key. Go as tall as you like (hydro=infinite speed adjustability), just ensure the outside of the tires keeps proportional to the fronts and rears currently (otherwise trash the driveline). FYI, my stock 955 has turfs, 36" tall rear and 24" tall front. I have a set of used 6 bolt 16" front ags on rims here that will fit AND lift it quite a bit, I just need to match the rear tire size outside diameter (proportionally) and then have a custom set of rims made from a rim shop. I can dictate offset (will determine spread of thet tires), and possible adjustability. I already "eyeballed" it and the rears will be ABOVE the fender cutline, so, they need to have an offset that AT LEAST moves it beyond the fenderline. I saw a picture of a European 955 planting garlic somewhere online and it had CRAZY wide spacing to make the rows work (I will look for it).

Also, you can use the solid NICE, FULL frame under the 955 to mount things to (not always there on neweer tractors) AND the mount bar (mid way back) can be used to mount your own "cultivision" cultivators with some custom welding. This is my plan if I "go there".

Ironwood