"Linney" the line walker

Meet "linney" .... the line walker.



Linney (yes, we name our favorite tools) is going to save our backs today!

Our method of seeding and sprouting in the ground using only drip lines, in very long rows (100+ yards long) REQUIRES VERY STRAIGHT SEED ROWS AND DRIP LINES. The drip line must lie right over the seeds.. within a couple inches. For long rows that is a challenge. We have done this by "walking the lines". This is a back breaking process of bending half over like a save man, and letting the lines drape over a hand while walking at a steady pace down the entire row without stopping. Not pleasant!

Linney arrived today to allow someone to walk straight up holding his upper handle while the drip line rolls across the spool just inches over the seed row and dropping nicely in place.

We LOVE linney!


Just some old pipe, an old wire spool, and some fittings. Basically "junk" that today, planting 3200 yards of seeds, will be the star of the show!

posted from Bloggeroid

Mahindra 3316 - Great tractor one problem

We use the Mahindra 3316... a great small to medium sized tractor. It has served our needs very well for several years and I would definitely recommend this or similar tractors to anyone.

That said... There is one problem to be aware of...

When using this tractor in dusty conditions (for example tilling a new pasture in the summer dry weather)... be cautious of the engine temp.  There isnt an "air cleaner" like on a car or truck, the is just a removable screen over the radiator.  When used in dusty conditions, larger items get caught in the high airflow sucking air through the radiator... and then smaller particles get trapped. Soon, a good portion of the screen is covered in thick "dust" that can totally block airflow.

For a while there is no warning.. there is enough radiator exposed to maintian engine cooling. But that can change suddenly... within minutes things can go from "no sign of trouble" to water boiling in the overflow. Once the screen gets plugged toa point where current engine load creates more heat than available airflow can remove...  it overheats. This can happen so quickly that On more than one occasion I have had the overflow blow off and start spewing radiator fluid before I ever noticed the engine heat dial was redlined.

So a word of warning... keep a close eye on engine heat while working in dusty conditions... and stop occasionally to clean the radiator screen.

And another word of advice.. should this happen to you do NOT turn off the engine... instead let it sit and idle under no load to cool down. Turning it off while overheated will immediately boil the radiator fluid trapped in the engine and potentially cause damage.  Better to let it idle down to more normal temps, then turn it off and remove the screen for cleaning.

Also.. be VERY careful with trying to remove the screen while the engine is running! The high airflow will cause the dirt from the screen to get sucked into the radiator if you try to remove it while running. That is a mess of having to wash out the radiator itself with water, which of course means waiting till totally cool engine.

Great little tractor! Just be cautious about dusty conditions.

Hoss seeder puts first seeds in the ground

It is that time of year where seeds go in and start a new life cycle. This year we have grand plans if adding more veggie crops for animal food as well as fermented goodies for sale. so much so that we decided it was time to look into some faster method of getting sees in the ground quickly and accurately.

I remember as young boy working in my fathers huge garden. He came to the same conclusion (or maybe he just liked gadgets) and bought an automatic seeder. It was one that is still sold today in fact....the kind made from plastic and aluminum, with a red hopper in between front and back wheels. We would put seeds in the hopper and push the little gadget along merrily planting long rows. I also remember it being a tad finicky. Wasting seeds, hard to control, inaccurate depth, in short useful but problematic.

Do when i faced the same need, and not ready to spend the money on a tractor implement, research was in order. I quickly discovered that there are few options available. Basically three contenders... The one my dad had,a fancy improvement on this made overseas, and this weird little contraption from a company called Hoss. I choose the latter for a variety of reasons.

Price: Hoss is mid priced at a few hundred. I like mid priced solutions, finding they usually offer the best value.

Versatility: Hoss does the transformer thing to become seeder, cultivar, plow, or trencher.

Rugged: Hoss is much more sturdy. Heavy metal and wood frame built to last

convenience: you can empty the bucket without turning the while tool upside down. You can adjust depth and seed plate easily,

Performance: reviews were glowing about spacing and depth accuracy, germination rates, etc.

So... We have one now and i have to say that i am fully impressed.this is a perfect midrange tool. It is easy to use, rugged, effective, accurate, and built to last.

So far we have planted one whole area in beets and cabbage.what used to take hours of preparing, planting, covering, shaping... Took all of 10 minutes. Incredibly easy! This thing is ready to drive and push on two large front wheels, cuts an accurate depth, drops a single seed at accurate spacing, covers it and packs it tight with a broad spiked wheel that also drives the mechanism quite well.

I am very happy with the purchase. This well enable us to greatly increase production of veggies without requiring the investment of a tractor tool and the compaction if good soil under tractor tires. It is a perfect size for our current needs.

Here is link to the device: http://hosstools.com/products-page/seeder-4/seeder-garden-hoss/
I give it  an overall glowing review.