Fruit and Vegetable News

With the upcoming deadline for the Beginning Farmer Equipment and Infrastructure Grant program, we are publishing a series of articles about low cost equipment that can make farming more efficient on a small-scale. All of the equipment highlighted works well for farmers on rented land, as it can be easily moved to a new site. In this article, we highlight the use of coolbot walk-in coolers A lower cost cooler option Safe storage of produce generally requires temperatures below 40 degrees. Normal walk-in coolers require a condenser and evaporator to bring a walk-in cooler down to this temperature range. A CoolBot controller works with a normal air conditioner to achieve the same result. When is a CoolBot the right type of cooler? CoolBots are generally much simpler and less expensive than traditional walk-in coolers. However, they are not always the right infrastructure for a produce farm. Coolbots work well with smaller walk-in coolers (less than 10’ x 20’), coolers that are very ...

With the upcoming deadline for the Beginning Farmer Equipment and Infrastructure Grant program, we are publishing a series of articles about low cost equipment that can make farming more efficient on a small-scale. All of the equipment highlighted works well for farmers on rented land, as it can be easily moved to a new site. In this article, we highlight tools for seeding and transplanting. Why Purchase Seeding and Transplanting Tools? Although it is possible to seed and transplant vegetable crops by hand, there are many advantages to using tools for these tasks. Seeding and transplanting tools greatly improve efficiency, are easier on the body, lower costs, increase yields and make for easier harvesting and cultivation. Push seeders Push seeders generally do not require a tractor, electricity, fuel or any specialized tools to set up or fix. A push seeder works by the user walking it down a bed, which lays seed in a straight row. Features of push seeders All push seeders are built to ...

With the upcoming deadline for the Beginning Farmer Equipment and Infrastructure Grant program, we are publishing a series of articles about low cost equipment that can make farming more efficient on a small-scale. All of the equipment highlighted works well for farmers on rented land, as it can be easily moved to a new site. In this article, we highlight walk behind tractors Why Purchase a Walk Behind Tractor? Walk Behind tractors can provide an affordable way to start mechanizing basic operations on your farm like tillage and cultivation. These machines work well for farmers that run small acreage farms. They can accomplish many of the same tasks as a tractor but at a much lower price point. Walk Behind tractors are relatively simple to repair compared to traditional tractors - making them ideal for farmers uncomfortable fixing heavy equipment. Note: although Walk Behind tractors can perform some functions on larger operations - they are generally not appropriate for larger vegetable...