Back Issue - Practical Farm Ideas - 86 Aug-N
Please sign in so that we can notify you about a reply
CONTENTS of 22-2 AUG - NOV 2013
The cover story is a home made compost machine, and we're going to hear a lot more about compost in the next ten years, for two reasons: there is an increasing commercial market for compost as growers and garden centres use it to replace peat, which is to be illegal in six years. Compost is a useful soil conditioner, needed by a lot of farm land today which has had reduced levels of organic material. Farm made compost adds to fertility, compensating for the increasing price of bagged nutrients.
Readers of the last issue will have been fascinated by the article of Cover Cropping, which is another way of imroving soil condition and reducing fertiliser needs. The scheme needs a roller to flatten, or 'terminate' Cover Crops and the Rodale Institute has come up with a design which is becoming the blueprint that farmers in the USA are following. The issue of PFI shows how one can be made, and also shows some improvements made to that design by other farmers.
Other machines of interest include:
For livestock: A tip-up crush for cattle feet trimming. A calf milk mixer, dispenser. Round bale unwinder. Working with milking robots.
For arable: Early drilling - varieties and seed rates. managing Cover Crops profitably.
Tungsten cultivator point welds to any leg.
For the workshop: Bender for re-bar and other steel. Putting a new heavy floor with curved sides in dumper. New welding clamp. Work frame rotates mini body shell for easy work - adaptable for other machines. Trailer with roll-on deck lighting idea.
For general farm work: A couple of log splitters. A heavy capacity concrete bridge, 12ft wide.
For the contractor: Novel barrel carrier for s-p harvester.
There's also a new section - Young Farm Enterprise, and the Farm Walk is on a truly mixed farm which has embraced automation and integrates enterprises.
FarmWorld features the work in the tropics done by a farmer from Cornwall, (also a Cambridge scientist) who has developed a way to help 'slash and burn' farmers in the tropics. It's a staggering story.
As always, I have had great enjoyment putting this issue together, and I hope you will pick up on some of that enjoyment when you read it. Of course, I also hope you will find something of immediate benefit to you and your farming. Should you have something to contribute, please get in touch
Gallery
12ft wide pre-cast concrete bridge built on farm to own design - details included in this issue |
FarmWorld feature on Inga Alley cropping for tropical farmers. The alternative to slash and burn. Details in this issue | |
Giant log splitter is being made for farmer who is splitting long poplar tree trunks. See how it's made in this issue. |
An easy way to do body work on this Mini Minor. Also a brilliant way to work on other machines. See how it works in this issue PFI 22-2 | |
Made it Myself compost turner works through a row cheaply and effectively. Details in this issue PFI 22-2 |
Cover crops are being flattened with crimper roller. We have designs and plans in this issue of PFI Issue 22-2 |
CONTENTS of 22-2 AUG - NOV 2013
The cover story for this issue is a revolutionary home made compost machine. Compost is something we are going to hear a lot more about in the next few years, as it will be substituting for 2 million cu metres of horticultural peat that will be illegal in the next 6 years. This machine makes composting easy and affordable, and far better than a loader bucket which doesn't break up lumps, so the compost is uneven.
On the farm, compost is a useful soil conditioner. Many soils in Britain need more organic material, and composted green material is therefore valuable. Farm made compost adds to fertility, compensating for the increasing price of bagged nutrients.
Scroll down for contents details
Gallery of some major stories in this issue
12ft wide pre-cast concrete bridge built on farm to own design - details included in this issue |
FarmWorld feature on Inga Alley cropping for tropical farmers. The alternative to slash and burn. Details in this issue | |
Giant log splitter is being made for farmer who is splitting long poplar tree trunks. See how it's made in this issue. |
An easy way to do body work on this Mini Minor. Also a brilliant way to work on other machines. See how it works in this issue PFI 22-2 | |
Made it Myself compost turner works through a row cheaply and effectively. Details in this issue PFI 22-2 |
Cover crops are being flattened with crimper roller. We have designs and plans in this issue of PFI Issue 22-2 |
Readers of the last issue will have been fascinated by the article of Cover Cropping, which is another way of imroving soil condition and reducing fertiliser needs. The scheme needs a roller to flatten, or 'terminate' Cover Crops and the Rodale Institute has come up with a design which is becoming the blueprint that farmers in the USA are following. The issue of PFI shows how one can be made, and also shows some improvements made to that design by other farmers.
Other machines of interest include:
For livestock: A tip-up crush for cattle feet trimming. A calf milk mixer, dispenser. Round bale unwinder. Working with milking robots.
For arable: Early drilling - varieties and seed rates. managing Cover Crops profitably.
Tungsten cultivator point welds to any leg.
For the workshop: Bender for re-bar and other steel. Putting a new heavy floor with curved sides in dumper. New welding clamp. Work frame rotates mini body shell for easy work - adaptable for other machines. Trailer with roll-on deck lighting idea.
For general farm work: A couple of log splitters. A heavy capacity concrete bridge, 12ft wide.
For the contractor: Novel barrel carrier for s-p harvester.
There's also a new section - Young Farm Enterprise, and the Farm Walk is on a truly mixed farm which has embraced automation and integrates enterprises.
FarmWorld features the work in the tropics done by a farmer from Cornwall, (also a Cambridge scientist) who has developed a way to help 'slash and burn' farmers in the tropics. It's a staggering story.
As always, I have had great enjoyment putting this issue together, and I hope you will pick up on some of that enjoyment when you read it. Of course, I also hope you will find something of immediate benefit to you and your farming. Should you have something to contribute, please get in touch
