Homemade Asparagus Harvester
Chuck Dean, of Reed City, MI, can pick up to 60 lb of asparagus in less than an hour seated on his Homemade Asparagus Harvester. Reed cut in half the frame of a 5 hp Toro riding mower, keeping the back half with engine, transmission, differential, and rear axel plus front wheels and tires. With 1" by 2" tubing, he extended the frame to 8' long and 4' wide to accommodate the asparagus rows, adding a coupler, round stock, and bearing to axle and wheels to get the right width. Seated about 1' off the ground, Dean reaches forward to pick the 7" tall spears, putting them in side trays, which he has to empty every row and a half into a storage box. The foot pedal steering system includes a connecting rod so the pedals oppose each other, and the transmission has a 10" pulley to slow the speed.
Cost range: See below
Limitations Addressed by Product: Lower extremity, Strength/endurance, Back
Toolbox :: Vegetable, Small Fruit, and Flower Production :: Outdoor and High Tunnel Production :: Harvesting
Source | Farm Show Magazine |
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Source | Charles Dean South Lakota Road Reed City, MI, 47677 |
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Est. Cost | Nominal |
Last updated: Dec 29, 2023