Wednesday, August 28, 2013

The new seeder

Getting ready to use this new seeder for the first time.  It's designed to lay down small seeds -- grass or alfalfa -- in a random pattern.  unlike a seed drill that actually plants rows, this plants a fairly even sprinkling across the 10' face.  The seeds are contained in the box at the top, and fall down between the two rollers, that push the seed into the dirt as they compact the seed bed. 

This seeder is meant to be used on well-prepared, loose ground, and after it passes over the ground is compacted and firmed up. 

It has a gauge on it calibrated to acres; so when the number on it clicks up, you've planted another acre.  It reads around 1750 now; I expect to plant between 60 and 70 acres of ground this season with it; most of that will be a cover crop that I'll plan on tilling into the soil next year.   

I'll be planting some winter wheat, as well as grass seed and various mixes of grass, alfalfa and clover; a half acre of each as test plots to see how things do in this ground. 

It's not fast, but I'd like to have the best chance that things will work out, and so by taking it slow and watching carefully, I hope to waste as little money as I can as I plant bigger and bigger areas. 

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