It’s no secret that small-scale and large-scale farming are entirely different, ahem, animals. One chief distinguishing point? Equipment needs, particularly of those growing crops. Sizable agricultural enterprises require a fleet of machines to keep their operations running smoothly. Smaller farms need a good deal less and may not generate enough money for the newest John Deere.
Enter the walk-behind tractor, hailed by many as a “miracle multitasker” for homesteaders and small-scale farmers. And, enter Joel DuFour of Kentucky-based company Earth Tools, an expert in these cost-efficient two-wheeled machines who’ll share his knowledge at a Saturday, May 27 field day at Living Web Farms in Mills River. He plans to introduce how they work, their uses and maintenance issues, as well as discuss how farm setup is related to equipment. DuFour champions European walk-behinds for their quality and ability to run many farm attachments with a single power source, providing thousands of hours of service.
Living Web Farms staff members will showcase a variety of walk-behind tractor attachments, including no-till implements and mowers. They also plan to review specialized hand tools and share their own farming experiences.
The workshop is offered in partnership with the Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training, or CRAFT, and the organization’s May farm tour, increasing the vast wealth of expertise that will be on-farm that day. A potluck is included.
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