Tow-Behind Planter/Harvester for Specialty Crops
To cut his labor costs, Joseph Schuster of Emlenton, PA, built (and now sells) a two-seat Tow-Behind Planter/Harvester for Specialty Crops. To plant root crops (e.g., onion, garlic, shallots), the machine's adjustable furrow openers cut two rows and the workers (seated side by side) place the bulbs/tubers; closure plates then cover the furrows and level the bed. The furrow openers and gauge-wheels control the depth. To transplant potted plantlets (e.g., tomatoes, peppers), an aligned seat configuration is used, with the worker in front pulling the plants from the pots and setting them in the furrows and the worker behind standing them up and firming dirt around them. To harvest, the openers and closure plates are replaced with plant-lifting plates, undercutters, and a conveyor; as the plants are lifted, the workers (again, side-by-side) put them on the conveyor, which drops them into a bin on the rear platform.
Cost range: See below
Limitations Addressed by Product: Lower extremity, Upper extremity, Strength/endurance, Back
Toolbox :: Vegetable, Small Fruit, and Flower Production :: Outdoor and High Tunnel Production :: Planting
Toolbox :: Vegetable, Small Fruit, and Flower Production :: Outdoor and High Tunnel Production :: Harvesting
Source | Adapted from Farm Show Magazine (vol. 29, issue 2) Schuster Farm, Incorporated 312 Nickleville Kahle Lake Road Emlenton, PA, 16373 |
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Phone | 814-797-2187 |
Est. Cost | $8,500 |
Last updated: Dec 29, 2023