Cultivating is.....

Probably the single greatest task in organic agriculture is keeping on top of the weeds. As with many other things here at Boistfort Valley Farm we favor the simplicity and versatility of older equipment designed at a time when farms grew a variety of different crops and the equipment met the needs of that type of diversity rather than being highly specialized.

We have two Farmall Super As. One was built in 1949, the other in 1953. They have offset steering which allows the operator to look down directly between their and view the rows of plants and the tooling as it passes over the soil. They also have independent belly mount and rear hydraulics which allows the driver to keep the tools in the ground until the end of the row, then lift the belly mount stuff and continue cultivating with the rear tools until that part of the tractor has passed over the end of the row before lifting the "track erasers" which are cultivating the paths between the beds.

We have an arsenal of shovels, sweeps, knives, discs and tines which we can attach to the tool bars of these tractors and adjust for each individual crop, and for crops at different stages of growth. We also use these tractors for furrowing and for hilling potatoes. The only change I would ever dream of making to these beautiful and versatile machines would be the addition of power steering, and a more comfortable seat. After a few hours on the tin pan of these tractors you know you have been on a tractor.

Our second Super A is outfitted with a Buddhing Basket Weeder. This is one of the greatest examples of simple and effective low tech equipment. It amounts to two sets of "baskets", which closely resemble hamster wheels, mounted on a frame. The forward wheels run across the ground and drive the rear units via chain. Because the front sprockets are larger than the rears, the rear baskets turn at a much faster rate.

So the front baskets penetrate the soil and disturb the weeds, then the rear baskets come along and literally toss the weeds out. This gentle action doesn't displace much soil and is indispensable when it comes to weeding tiny seedlings and slow growing crops like carrots.

Because all our crops are planted by seeders or transplanters that are set up on standard row spacings, we are able to set up the cultivating tractors to match and the weeding, though still a daunting task, is made possible. Timing is everything when it comes to managing this aspect of the farm. A good rule of thumb is that if it looks like it needs to be weeded it is too late. Patrick is on a cultivating tractor no less than ten hours a week right now, on a constant slow rotation from bed to bed and field to field trying to keep up with that strong flush of weeds that follows on the heels of good early summer weather.