Raised Beds Eliminate Need For GPS

Raised Beds Eliminate Need For GPS CROPS Miscellaneous GPS receivers and auto steering aren t needed to get precision planting and weed control with this new raised bed equipment from Duragro Once the Bedformer makes the beds planting cultivating spraying and other tasks can be carried out within a centimeter or less accuracy John Klassen Duragro tried the equipment out last year before starting to market it this past winter Once the beds were formed putting skis on the front and rear of planters or other equipment locks it into position says Klassen We were able to cultivate within an inch of the plant row You can mount a sprayer to the same spacing on the toolbar as the planter was and spray a 2-in band over a row Anyone who has ever gardened using raised beds can confirm higher yields reduced weeds and labor and improved soil tilth and drainage What this equipment does is to mechanize the process for market gardeners and intensive specialty crop producers A vegetable producer can farm a hundred acres in the time he could manage an acre or less in the past We can form beds on 2 1/2 acres in an hour with a single bed Bedformer says David McGrath the Australian developer of the equipment With a higher horsepower tractor and a triple bed Bedformer we can set up beds on 100 acres per day Equipment being offered by Duragro includes the Bedformer Bedlocker and the pto-powered Weeder All three pieces are 3-pt hitch mounted The Bedformer can be equipped to rip or plow the field and form beds in a single pass using twin front toolbars Bed size can be adjusted to match wheel width of available tractors It s priced at $7 500 for the basic unit The Bedlocker is a toolbar with two sets of Teflon surfaced skis that lock toolbar-mounted equipment to the bed sides for uniform spacing The first set of skis is mounted to the toolbar with the second set available to lock the rear end of equipment to the bed sides for added precision Using the double sets of skis seed placement can be within 1/5th inch of the surface The Bedlocker toolbar with skis is priced at $4 000 The powered Weeder floats within a ski guided frame It uses oscillating knife action to chip under the surface lift and dislodge weeds within less than an inch of the plant Like the Bedlocker the Weeder is equipped with two sets of skis to maintain blade spacing around planted rows Blade working width depth and angle can be adjusted to changing bed or crop conditions Clamps can restrict knife movement or be partially or totally removed for either or both vertical and/or horizontal movement The Weeder is ideal for organic growers as it allows for up to 90 percent weed control with no herbicides used It s priced at $17 500 Klassen says additional raised bed equipment is being added to the lineup including attachments such as a drip irrigation tape applicator The Bedrenovator reverse tills all crop refuse and buries it 6 in below the surface says Klassen It leaves an ideal seeding surface and reforms the bed in one pass Klassen says pricing for the Bedrenovator and the drip tape applicator will be available later this year Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Duragro Systems 1979 Setterington Dr Kingsville Ont Canada N9Y 2E5 ph 519 326-6996; info@duragro com; www duragro com

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