Despite years of the term "new equipment" meaning a rusty old piece of iron that had never been on the property before, and to the disbelief of local residents and coworkers, an actual new implement has been purchased by Boistfort Valley Farm. The new transplanter arrived in early April and I finished assembly late last night, then reassembled all the parts I had put on after my bed time this morning. The shiny red planter is sitting outside the office right now waiting for the weather to clear a bit so we can take it for a spin.
This transplanter was purchased to replace the old unit we have been running for years. That old unit will not be decommissioned, but rather used for a few select crops for which it is best suited. The new N-E-W transplanter features several improvements. It has a carousel which rotates instead of fingers that grip the plants. This system of delivery allows one person to do the work of two. The new units also float independent of one another and will allow us to more accurately plant on uneven ground. Because the new transplanter can be set on a much closer row spacing it will also allow us to cultivate more accurately, and last but not least it comes complete with tanks and a delivery system that will give each seedling a shot of water and liquid fertilizer as it is being planted. That will significantly reduce our water and fertilizer usage and the labor of having to follow each transplanting with irrigation from overhead sprinklers. Please also note the Ferrari red paint, the foam seats, the little windshields for the plants (I didn't think the thing was THAT fast) and the provocative name.....the Mechanical 5000WD. Boy howdy.
