"Mini" Equipment Helps Farm Smaller Acreage

Mini Equipment Helps Farm Smaller Acreage PLANTERS Planters As he listened to customers at his retail fertilizer business Duane Glasgow realized many of them were looking for downsized farm equipment for smaller acreages and wildlife food plots
    He worked with Trotters Manufacturing in Buffalo Ill to create a caddy with a 3-pt hitch in the back to hook up a small corn planter or other implements Instead of hydraulics the caddy uses an electric actuator to raise and lower implements
     It s basically a quick hitch on wheels You just need a battery Glasgow says A 4-wheeler battery is enough to operate the caddy It s great for folks who don t have a tractor with a 3-pt hitch
    He pairs the caddies with commercially manufactured Yetter 2 and 4-row no-till planters and with a 15-ft boom sprayer that he designed With different seed plates the planter can plant a variety of crops from milo and sunflowers to vegetable garden seeds such as peas beans and sweet corn The small sprayer also works well for lawn service businesses
    Glasgow discovered larger farmers are also interested in the smaller planters to replant a couple of rows that drowned out or didn t come up right
    Glasgow notes that the difference between his caddy and others is its quality and strength
     It s overbuilt for strength It won t tear up like other equipment Glasgow says I told my little brother to try to tear it up We found the weakest spot and then fixed it The caddy weighs about 450 lbs
    Caddies sell for $2 400 and sprayers cost $1 850 Corn planters run $2 750
    Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Trotter Mfg P O Box 176 Buffalo Ill 62515 ph 217 364-4540; dglasgow@frontiernet net

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