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Final Report for FNE03-474

Comparative Study of Weed Management Tools in Vegetables and Berries: Old and New

FNE03-474 (project overview)
Project Type: Farmer
Funds awarded in 2003: $3,642.00
Projected End Date: 12/31/2004
Matching Non-Federal Funds: $7,521.00
Region: Northeast
State: Massachusetts
Project Leader:
Timothy Laird
Email
MA Audubon Society, Inc
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Project Information

Summary:

Note to readers, attached is the complete final report for FNE03-474

This project compared the use of two new cultivation tools owned by Drumlin Farm – the Einbock Flex-tine harrow and the Bartschi-FOBRO Star-hoe – with more traditional cultivation equipment used at two nearby farms. All three farms collected data pertaining to four crops: potatoes, onions, fall carrots, and first year strawberries. The project quantified the hours needed to cultivate the four crops at the three farms, and evaluated the challenges and successes of each system.

Tim created a spreadsheet that showed the yearly cost of the different cultivating systems for the two pieces of equipment owned by Drumlin Farm (Einbock flex tine harrow and Bartschi – FOBRO star hoe) to be lower than the cultivating equipment systems used by the other two farms. In general, the time needed to cultivate the four crops (seconds per linear foot of row) at Drumlin Farm was comparable or less than the cultivating systems used on the comparison farms.

Tim feels that the benefits of having the newer European cultivating equipment used on one reliable tractor are worth the up-front costs when compared to the emotional and financial stress of using a cultivating system that is dependent upon older, less reliable tractors. This is especially true for farmers that are not mechanically inclined.

Two field days took place where growers and apprentices were able to view the equipment and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each cultivating system. An article also appeared in Vegetable Grower News, a well known industry publication.

  • Outreach Publication: Vegetable Growers News
  • Outreach Publication: New Cultivation Tools for Mechanical Weed Control in Vegetables
  • FNE03-474 Final Report
  • Outreach Publication: Cultivation Equipment for Weed Control: Pros, Cons and Sources

Cooperators

Click linked name(s) to expand
Mike Raymond
Land's Sake Farm
Weston, MA
Don Zasada
The Food Project
Lincoln, MA
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Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or SARE.

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