Tractors, the new "work horses" of the organic farm, perform a myriad of essential tasks every single day.
The medium John Deere, our first tractor, starts off by spreading manure on the soil after the season is over in the late fall.
Then, before planting ole' John Deere pulls beds, which means forms the soil into a raised bed. And neatly lays drip tape at the same time. Drip tape is a long thin tube which carries water to irrigate the crops without spraying it into the air where it evaporates too quickly.
This versatile tractor also pulls our various weeders and a really cool attachment called a flamer. Right after planting carrot seeds, we run the flamer over the soil for a few days to keep back the weeds, which come up faster than the carrots. This give the carrots a head start to grow without being choked by weeds.
The medium John Deere, our first tractor, starts off by spreading manure on the soil after the season is over in the late fall.
Then, before planting ole' John Deere pulls beds, which means forms the soil into a raised bed. And neatly lays drip tape at the same time. Drip tape is a long thin tube which carries water to irrigate the crops without spraying it into the air where it evaporates too quickly.
This versatile tractor also pulls our various weeders and a really cool attachment called a flamer. Right after planting carrot seeds, we run the flamer over the soil for a few days to keep back the weeds, which come up faster than the carrots. This give the carrots a head start to grow without being choked by weeds.
The International Harvester, everyone's favorite, until it died and we had to scramble to figure out a way to load the trucks with the large pallets of veggies!
The fork lift is attached to the front of this fun-to-drive guy to lift the pallets in and out of the cooler. But we can also attach a blade for spreading gravel or a bucket for transporting lots of beets.
The fork lift is attached to the front of this fun-to-drive guy to lift the pallets in and out of the cooler. But we can also attach a blade for spreading gravel or a bucket for transporting lots of beets.
Our newest acquisition, the New Holland tractor, is laying out rolls of very thin plastic. This prevents weeds from overtaking our plants, since we don't use any synthetic chemicals to prevent weeds.
Then the transplanter hooks up to the back of the tractor, pokes holes in the plastic as workers insert the tiny plants into the soil.
This tractor also drags the tiller which pulverizes the soil into a fine seed bed to receive those tiny seeds.
Then the transplanter hooks up to the back of the tractor, pokes holes in the plastic as workers insert the tiny plants into the soil.
This tractor also drags the tiller which pulverizes the soil into a fine seed bed to receive those tiny seeds.
Last, but certainly not least, the big John Deere with dual tires is our tillage guy. It pulls the chisel plow deep into the ground, breaking up the hard pan. Hard pan is compacted soil which has set all winter and needs to be loosened up before we can work with it.
We can't forget our neighboring farmer's Allis Chalmers. Everyone needs a back up. Farming can be a collaborative effort especially when equipment breaks down. This Allis has provided much needed work in a pinch when one of our tractors was being repaired.
Keeping tractors running is just one of the many, many jobs Jeff is great at so fresh organic vegetables from Illinois show up on the tables of Chicagol
Keeping tractors running is just one of the many, many jobs Jeff is great at so fresh organic vegetables from Illinois show up on the tables of Chicagol