a farming resource blog

Our friend Josh has worked at Sauvie Island Organics for several seasons, and is now branching out on his own to further his personal vegetable endeavors as well as help other farm folk out by doing some consulting. He has a really thorough outline on weed management that he’s gathered from working at SIO as well as info he’s gathered traveling to fellow organic farms. It’s really worth jumping over to his entry and studying what he presents. I always learn the best by looking at others work, strategies, ideas instead of trying to reinvent the wheel by myself sitting in my shop.

If you have any questions on the various implements he presents I’d just drop him an email. My experiences with Josh are always educational and intentional.

The farm community is just beginning to see the networking possibilities with the internet. I look forward to seeing this community grow.

I’m always on the lookout for a good source for good priced labels for our packaged salad mix and our produce going to wholesale venues. I currently have a print shop make them up but I need to do some number crunching and see if this set up would be cheaper and a better product.

Our friend Walter from Sugar Mountain Farm in Vermont is a wizard in DIY farm projects. But he doesn’t skimp on quality for cost.

Check out his post on printers and labels here. And he fills you in on how to get a free printer. Cool.

In small scale vegetable farming there’s a discrepancy between low end push seeders and high end seeders. There isn’t a seeder built that is precision, costs under $1000, and actually works. (If you know of something I’m missing please let me know)

The Earthway’s are pretty good considering they cost around $90. But one of the biggest problems is that small seeds work their way behind the plate and start pulverizing the seed. Not so good if you’re looking for decent germination.

At this great annual get together here in Oregon, known as the Farmer to Farmer Exchange (I’ll write more on this in an upcoming post) great ideas are passed around. This Fix was given at one of those round table discussions.

It’s pretty easy:

Take a 3″ PVC end cap. Saw about an inch or so off the end, basically leaving you with a shorter cap. Drill a hole in the center. Then remove the central bolt holding the seed plate assembly to the seeder and replace it with a 1/4″ bolt that is 2 1/4″ long. The bolt should go all the way through the seeder and the new cap. Place a wingnut on the end (for easy plate removal/replacement), and tighten just snug enough to allow plate to still spin freely.

This fix basically just keeps the seed plate against the body of the seeder and helps prevent crushed seeds. As with most things it takes some adjusting, but once you get it, it works like a charm.

Check the pictures for before and after.

This site will eventually be loaded with posts of video and pictures that can be a resource for farmers to find innovative ways to be more successful at their trade.

But for now just drop by my farm’s website

www.bluefoxorganics.com