What implements do I need?

[tcrider33d]

I am going to be starting a small scale fruit farm next year, starting with raspberries and blueberries. I own a New Holland TC33D and a few attachments (box blade, rake, rear blade). What other attachments might I need to get things started? This would be for land prep, and maintenance during the growing season. There seems to be quite a variety of people on this board so I figure somebody must have done this already. Thanks in advance.

 

[_RaT_]

I am going to be starting a small scale fruit farm next year, starting with raspberries and blueberries. I own a New Holland TC33D and a few attachments (box blade, rake, rear blade). What other attachments might I need to get things started? This would be for land prep, and maintenance during the growing season. There seems to be quite a variety of people on this board so I figure somebody must have done this already. Thanks in advance.

I can tell you that I always wanted a tiller to prep and then use it to lightly till in the weeds periodically during the growing season and then finally till till in all the vines.

 

[MrJimi]

I am going to be starting a small scale fruit farm next year, starting with raspberries and blueberries. I own a New Holland TC33D and a few attachments (box blade, rake, rear blade). What other attachments might I need to get things started? This would be for land prep, and maintenance during the growing season. There seems to be quite a variety of people on this board so I figure somebody must have done this already. Thanks in advance.

How large is your shop/ barn/garage?
Jim

 

[EddieWalker]

A post hole digger is one of those tools that is about as handy as they get. I use mine for posts mosty, but it's also great for planting trees and shrubs!!!!

I have a 12 inch auger and would never own onw smaller.

Eddie

 

[Renze]

I dont know anything about berry farms, so i'll talk as far as i'm smart... The local tree growers around here, use a narrow track orchard tractor like a Fendt 270 VA and Claas

The new tree farm, which focuses on the garden shop markets, cultivates inbetween the rows, and hoes the remaining strips by hand.
The local christmas tree farm doesnt cultivate anymore, they just run a mower inbetween the rows ever 2 months (3 times a year) instead of cultivating every 2 weeks. Running a mower and a weedeater every 2 months is cheaper than cultivating and manually hoe the remaining weeds every 2 weeks.

I think in any orchard, you need a good batwing mower, a bit more sturdy than a finishing mower but cutting a bit cleaner than a bush hog, so you can see any fruit that has dropped.

A TC33 will be a fine orchard tractor.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

I am going to be starting a small scale fruit farm next year, starting with raspberries and blueberries. I own a New Holland TC33D and a few attachments (box blade, rake, rear blade). What other attachments might I need to get things started? This would be for land prep, and maintenance during the growing season. There seems to be quite a variety of people on this board so I figure somebody must have done this already. Thanks in advance.

A tiller is a must. I'd want a good sprayer, 3-point mounted, PTO pump, and spray "wand". If you have a bumper crop, a front end loader with forks will be the handiest thing you can own. Beyond that, the sky is the limit!

Good luck from a guy who farmed on a small scale for most of his life. Hard work? You bet. Rewarding? DEFINATELY! Profitable? Well, don't quit your day job just yet.

(Best place on this or ANY planet to raise kids!)

 

[RalphVa]

You'll need a shredder to chop up those raspberry stalks as well as other miscellaneous prunings. I've a MacKissic.

A carryall is also useful, for carrying mulch and other stuff too big for the FEL. Here's a pic of mine. The bottom is a pallet bolted to one arm of the carryall, then 1 bys on the vertical arm then stanchions for 2 bys to hold up the removable sides. The back is hinged about half way up to make loading and unloading of it easier.

The "Manage attachments" isn't working. No pic.

 

[bloody_peasant]

I am going to be starting a small scale fruit farm next year, starting with raspberries and blueberries. I own a New Holland TC33D and a few attachments (box blade, rake, rear blade). What other attachments might I need to get things started? This would be for land prep, and maintenance during the growing season. There seems to be quite a variety of people on this board so I figure somebody must have done this already. Thanks in advance.

tcrider, I'm in the planning stages to do the exact same thing except with blackberries instead of raspberries. How many acres are you planning on working?

Here are some good online resources I have found:
http://pubs.cas.psu.edu/FreePubs/pdfs/agrs97.pdf a good guide for the mid atlantic states. Should be pretty applicable for your area as well.

http://www.cas.psu.edu/GeneralPublic/FruitResources.html a list of online resources

http://www.attra.org/ for good info on sustainable practices including organic growing

http://www.attra.org/organic.html#fruits here is their list of fruit related pubs.

And of course your local extension agent is a great resource.

I'm planning on a year of green manure crops and soil prepration starting next spring before I plant. I'm still debating between a tiller or a plow/disk combo for the initial soil work. I then plan on keeping sod inbetween the rows while mulching the rows so a bush hog will be a must for me and I think adding a FEL will be really handy for all that mulch later on.

Also I'm thinking an auger will be handy when it comes time to install the trellis posts, although I might just rent one since I won't have a fulltime use for it.

Right now I've got a small massey fergurson 1010 with a bush hog, mid mount mower and rear blade so I've got some future implement expenses in my future

We should compare notes on our plans and see if we can help each other out.

 

[bloody_peasant]

You'll need a shredder to chop up those raspberry stalks as well as other miscellaneous prunings. I've a MacKissic.

A carryall is also useful, for carrying mulch and other stuff too big for the FEL. Here's a pic of mine. The bottom is a pallet bolted to one arm of the carryall, then 1 bys on the vertical arm then stanchions for 2 bys to hold up the removable sides. The back is hinged about half way up to make loading and unloading of it easier.

The "Manage attachments" isn't working. No pic.

Hmm that's a good point I haven't thought about getting rid of the canes yet LOL. However if you go this route you will want to do it somewhere away from the crop to reduce the risk of disease. If you chipped them, then composted them adequately they could be safely added back as compost later on or you could use them as a mulch somewhere away from the crop (but not around any tomato family plants!)

 

[tcrider33d]

Thanks for your suggestions. I appreciate any feedback that is shared. I am starting with about 1 acre of plantings. I think I need about a year to get the soil ammeded so I have the proper PH level for blueberries. Anyone have any suggestions on how to do that? I do plan on sodding between the rows because I think it makes it easier to take care of, and it is more customer friendly. I am pretty excited about getting started, but I know its going to be a ton of work, and stress.

 

[bloody_peasant]

Thanks for your suggestions. I appreciate any feedback that is shared. I am starting with about 1 acre of plantings. I think I need about a year to get the soil ammeded so I have the proper PH level for blueberries. Anyone have any suggestions on how to do that? I do plan on sodding between the rows because I think it makes it easier to take care of, and it is more customer friendly. I am pretty excited about getting started, but I know its going to be a ton of work, and stress.

Cool, yeah I'm starting with about 1.5 acres. Sulfur is the recommended way to lower pH, although aluminum sulfate shouldn't be used as that can raise aluminum to toxic levels. Sulfur can be added in pure form or as a salt, such as iron sulfate. Ammonium sulfate can be used to maintain a low pH while adding nitrogen. Actually blueberries prefer nitrogen in the ammonium form because it is more available at a low pH. Sulfur takes about a year to actually lower the soil pH too.

Best bet to do this is get a soil test and tell them ahead of time you plan on planting blueberries there and they will give you the amount needed to lower the pH. Get up with your county extension agent and he/she can lead you to sources to get the stuff delivered.

So are you planning on a pick your own kind of operation? Also are you considering organic?

 

[tcrider33d]

How is the ammonium sulfate applied anyway? Does that have to be injected?

 

[bloody_peasant]

How is the ammonium sulfate applied anyway? Does that have to be injected?

I'm guessing direct broadcast is the best method for a large area, but I would check with your extension agent first. Its highly water soluable, but soil holds ammonium ions a lot longer and better than other typical nitrogen ions (nitrites, ureas, etc.) Its also less volatile so your fertilizer won't evaporate into the air as much. Still doing it when its cool and either right before rain or irrigating right after is recommended.

I'm not sure if dissolving it and spraying it is better or working it into the soil. I'll have to do some more research myself on that one. I'd say it depends a lot on your conditions too. A hillside on hard compacted ground near a stream for instance could lead to a lot of run-off. Not good.