brian hanford

Here are a few pics, as we have finished conversion to the market garden, we use alot of the mechanical tools less but we have found just to reduce our work load that tilling the walkways is easier. We had grass grow over 12inches in just a week, our fertility is so high it brings its ouw problems. We also use alot of potatoes, we use this to prep a bed area as we reshape after harvest. Now because we sell produce some of our management is a little different. I would not plant as much of some things if it was just for the family. We are introducing alot of permaculture ideas to management, including habitat for birds and plantings for pollinators and predators. We planted sun chokes last year and i cant wait for the plantings to sprout this year.

We have several parts tractors, haven't had to replace much on the gear case. We had to make new clutch pads, and small items like nuts and bolts. Engine wise unless you are a restoration person, go with a predator 6.5hp from harbor freight. We just switch back to one from a 3hp because it was always hard to start. My son is working on a david bradley with a custom lifan engine to fit under the hood. Most of the later version did away with the hood. Looks cool more complicated than needed.

Alot of parts will have to be fabricated or used parts found, hardest parts are the clutch assembly. Looks like everything switched to belt tension, these use a fly wheel and friction plate assembly. There are 2 friction pads inside, belt attaches to an idler and the clutch fork pushes on pressure plate clamping the idler to the flywheel there is a friction pad on both sides of the idler. There are oil holes for the bearings, but no oil should get on the friction pads and dont over oil them. These units need constant oiling and greaseing, we have a oil can and grease gun with the machine at all times.

You have to love old equipment to care for these units but they last generations. The engine bolt pattern fitts 6.5hp or briggs 5hp as is, we modifyed to fit the 3hp. Contact me if there is something you're looking for, we can also help with con version to other units, we have had problems with the clutch and are looking to swap one of ours to a friction belt or a modern clutch, but as we stole a clutch from the sickle bar we haven't done it yet.

Thanks
Brian
3H.R.

We got a new side by side, now this is recycling. Only the 3rd generation to use it, fresh out of storage.

Kids working hay, local weedy Poly-culture hay.

Zucchini and tomatoes are doing great, should have beans and cucumbers soon.

Picture update for the garden

Changed to raised beds for the potatoes and they have just exploded and we started getting potatoes july 6th. As one of my friends commented "your garden gets better every year". It takes some time, but our fertility keeps growing. Mulch, chop and drop, Poly-culture path ways, we mow the paths and then spread the clippings as mulch. We only bring in arborist chipps,and wood shavings, which give us more texture.
We use sheep and rabbit manure, sheep manure is mixed with the arbor chips as compost then aged for a year.
Thanks
3H.R.

Taken pics of a bunch of predator insects. Today we had hummingbirds coming into the garden for onion flowers. Using a raised bed as a buffer pollinator area has worked so well. We also have alot of variety in the living paths.

Berta rotary plow, i had heard many things about this tool. Most reference how it moves soil, my biggest take away from using it. 1 dosent kill worms like a tiller, 2 the soil crumb size is really variable. With using it for primary tillage i didnt see the over pulverized soil or dust like a tiller. Small crumb to clods fist size and everything between. Loved how that worked, looking forward to using it for some contour work if i can find any. We just looked at an 80 acre parcel, which would work great for summer range and permaculture projects.

Thanks
3HR

Making a path through part of the beds i used some of the soil for potting mix. Surprised to find most of it is worm castings. We have a large population of Robbins every year and about 20+ nests. They always have big fat worms, or grasshoppers ever time i see them. We have worms every where but to dig up some plain garden soil, with nothing added and fine this was all the reason i have to keep working the way i do.
Thanks
3HR