soil/crop planting implements

Jim_C · Nov 16, 2004

This is going to be my first time growing plants on a larger scale and could use some help from those who have the know how. I have 24 acres in north eastern TN, Morristown, and a Kioti DK45 tractor with FEL, BH, PH & mower. My wife wants to plant different veggies from arugula to zucchini (small to large seeds) and I need to know what implements to buy to prepare the soil and then plant the seeds. Also I do not have a unlimited budget since the tractor purchase. I will start with a 1 to 2 acres and expand as I see how the growing goes. My goal is to get to about 10 acres of crops and the rest for critters. In advance, thank for all of your input it really helps.

Jim

Bob_Skurka · Nov 16, 2004

Jim, your garden will eventually grow in to more than I intend to plant but I was in the same boat as you were and looked around and just took possession of a "new" 2 row John Deere 71 Flex planter.

The Flex Planter will take seed plates for all sorts of different veggies. As I bought it, it came with corn plates. So now I am searching for plates (and I was told my local dealers can order them for me). In my digging, the 71 Flex planter seems to be universally loved as a good sturdy unit. My unit was $750 and is more than I need, it has the large capacity fiberglass seed hoppers, I've typcially seen the smaller metal hoppers (which are probably more practical but ... ). You can see pictures in the PHOTO section of TBN in my gallery.

Occasionally these units show up on Ebay. I see other similar units on Ebay as well. Often in 2 row configuration, sometimes 1 row, sometimes 4 row. Your tractor could likely pull a 4 row unit.

Another option, that is slightly more expensive, is the Covington planter. It is a 1 row unit, made new and one of our TBN sponsors sells them on his website (Sweets Tractors). I think his price is $899 plus S/H, but don't hold me to that.

If you are willing to go with something that is not an implement, you could go with an Earthway unit. I just had no desire to use a walking planter, but they are supposed to work very well.

There are also units for sale from places like NorthernTool and Cabela's that are more expensive, they were suited for planting food plots at hunting grounds. I glanced at the prices, got scared and ran a way like a little girl who just saw a snake eat her Barbie doll. (If I recall prices started over $2000 and went over $4000).

sweettractors · Nov 16, 2004

I think his price is $899 plus S/H, but don't hold me to that.


We do have the new 1 row Covington with planter,row opener,ferterlizer and cultivator for $899 + $88 shipping to Tn (at a 18 wheeler accessable business address) The units we sell do come with 4 different seed plates to get started with. We do have 1 display model at one of our stores that is new and slightly weathered for $825 + same shipping--Ken Sweet

Sweet Farm Equipment LLC *New and Used Tractors and Implements*

theboman · Nov 16, 2004

Want lots of attachmets?

A one row culitvator will do the trick too, but you gotta drop the seeds and stuff.

A single bottom plow and a 4' disc would be handy too.

You gotta turn the soil somehow.

I'm betting for under $700 you can find all three attachments in a good used condition.

sweettractors · Nov 16, 2004

I'm betting for under $700 you can find all three attachments in a good used condition. 

We can do used 1 bottom plow,used 1 row cultivator and new 4 ft lift disc for under $700 + shipping. To eleminate the dropping of seeds, and save the ole back,a used 1 row 3 point hitch multipurpose transplanter, shown below, is good for any seeds or putting in stem type plants (tomatoes, peppers,strawberries etc) with water, if needed for additional $350?--Ken Sweet

Jim_C · Nov 16, 2004

Hi Bob,

Thanks for the information but when you said "new" JD 71 flex planter was that new or new to you? Where did you find it as I have been all over the internet and nothing on your planter.

Jim

Bob_Skurka · Nov 16, 2004

Jim, it is new to me and it is newly painted, newly rebuilt, with a new 3pt so it does look totally new. The guy I got it from is located in Valpariso, IN, about 30 miles from where I live. He told me he has enough parts to build a couple more units just like mine.

What I have been able to figure out is that the Model 71 Flex planters were made in the 60's and 70's. They were apparently very popular and considered to be capable of planting anything from corn & soybeans to carrots, onions, cabbage, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, etc. Of course there are different seed plates needed, etc. I'm not sure how it works with all those things, mine came with a corn seed plate. A guy I work with has a brother who works for JD so I'm going to look into getting the seed plates through him if that is possible.

As I understand it, they were typically sold as 8 row planters (but could be found in other configurations). They guy I got mine from buys old units and takes them apart, he builds brand new 3 pt mounts with new tool bars, mounts them on 30" centers (but they can be adjusted wider or narrower). From time to time he sells them on ebay.

Send me a PM if you want his email address. He sells them for local pick up so you'd probably have to make arrangements for delivery to you, unless you want to drive to northwest Indiana to pick it up. I suppose if you could work out a deal with him, he could deliver it to my office/warehouse and I'd put it on a pallet for you and ship it to you freight collect. We have freight trucks up here daily so I wouldn't charge you anything to help you out with the shipping but you'd need to arrange to get it to me, etc.

shoppintractors · Nov 16, 2004

JD Planters listed on ebay....

See them here

Don

Bob_Skurka · Nov 16, 2004

Don, that is an older model, I'm not sure what model number that is, but I understand it is the generation older than the model I have (it may be the early version of what I have or it may be a generation older). I emailed him several times, he does the same thing that the guy I got my unit from in that he takes apart large units and makes 2 row planters out of them. He seems to also do a quality job based on the emails we traded several months ago and his photos. I don't know if those units use the same seed plates as the Model 71 Flex or not, I never got that far into his units. After I figured out what it would cost to ship one of his units from Kansas to Indiana I figured out that I needed to look closer to home.

I picked mine for 2 reasons, one was location as he is close to me (30 miles). The main reason was that when I started searching around the net, the 71 Flex units seemed to be idiot proof and so that fits me pretty well.

rambler · Nov 19, 2004

( Don, that is an older model, I'm not sure what model number that is, but I understand it is the generation older than the model I have (it may be the early version of what I have or it may be a generation older). I emailed him several times, he does the same thing that the guy I got my unit from in that he takes apart large units and makes 2 row planters out of them. He seems to also do a quality job based on the emails we traded several months ago and his photos. I don't know if those units use the same seed plates as the Model 71 Flex or not, I never got that far into his units. After I figured out what it would cost to ship one of his units from Kansas to Indiana I figured out that I needed to look closer to home.

I picked mine for 2 reasons, one was location as he is close to me (30 miles). The main reason was that when I started searching around the net, the 71 Flex units seemed to be idiot proof and so that fits me pretty well.
)

The unit Don refered to appears to be a cut down JD 494 planter, typically 4 row. Would not be so handy as the wheels are so wide, and you need hyd to lift it. They were about the most popular planter of the '60s so there are tons of parts sources tho.

Your 71 units were made into the '90s, and JD now sold the rights to Yetter, who continues to make them. See www.yetterco.com - kinda burried in there, but they are in there....

Many places make plastic seed plates, I believe Lincoln Ag is a popular place, they are on the web but I can't even spell their name right, much less remember the web site... /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

IHC made a series of planter units similar to the JD 71 - I have a bean planter with IHC 295 units for planting soybeans. New Idea / Agco also made a popular planter unit, I think it is in the 300 range for a model number?

The deal with these planter units is that the rear press wheel is what drives the planter plate. So they do not need any other wheel drive, metering, etc. Bolt them on a frame, and good to go.

Other planters such as that cut down JD 494 use the large carrying wheels with chains, sprockets, shafts, & more chains to drive the planter units. These really only work with the frame they came with, can't just bolt the planter unit on anything - you need all the driving mechinisms...

--->Paul