Harvesting crops

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Harvesting crops
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Treacodactyl
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Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Wed Dec 14, 05 12:04 pm Post subject: Harvesting crops

Sorry for another strange question, but is there a cheap and simple way for a smallholder to harvest seed crops mechanically? I.e. without the use of a combine? If you have a few acres of crops harvesting by hand may be impractical and getting anything other than a small tractor (or animal power) in may not be possible. So, are there any harvesting devices that attach to tractors and if so, what do they do?

I'm mainly thinking along the lines of crops for oil such as flax/linseed at the moment.

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45676
Location: Essex

Posted: Wed Dec 14, 05 12:10 pm Post subject:
There are small scale devices but mostly from France/Italy or the US, I did find some a little while ago, I thought I'd bookmared 'em but couldn't find them when I looked the other day

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Wed Dec 14, 05 6:08 pm Post subject:
It'd be cheaper to get a local farmer with a small combine to rattle (literally!! ) it off for you. Trial plots combines are normally what you could use, but they need as much maintaining as a larger machine, so you're not gaining much (as parts will also be harder to come by).

Treacodactyl
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Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Wed Dec 14, 05 7:10 pm Post subject:

Rob R wrote:

It'd be cheaper to get a local farmer with a small combine to rattle (literally!!

) it off for you.

It would be an option if there was enough and it was accessible but may not be cost effective on a very small scale. I wouldn't want to get a dedicated machine either, I was thinking along the lines of some form of topper that could extract the seeds.

If there's nothing about it looks like I'll have to learn to use a scythe well. At least I can get Bugs to make me a black cloak and I can scare the neighbours.

Tahir, if you do find those links I'd be interested in seeing the machines.

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45676
Location: Essex

Posted: Wed Dec 14, 05 7:21 pm Post subject:

Treacodactyl wrote:

Tahir, if you do find those links I'd be interested in seeing the machines.

Me too

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Wed Dec 14, 05 7:39 pm Post subject:

Treacodactyl wrote:

Rob R wrote:

It'd be cheaper to get a local farmer with a small combine to rattle (literally!!

) it off for you.

If there's nothing about it looks like I'll have to learn to use a scythe well. At least I can get Bugs to make me a black cloak and I can scare the neighbours.

That is small scale- take it from me, scythes are hard work

Sounds like you want a reaper & then hand thresh it or use an old (or for that matter, new) peg drum. That's unless you have a spare ox or ass to trample it out

Treacodactyl
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Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Wed Dec 14, 05 7:44 pm Post subject:
I am thinking small scale but cutting by hand may be too much. But if you had a few acres of crops about half an acre each I doubt it would be viable to get someone in to do the harvesting. I would have thought people running smallholdings or small farms would have some way of reaping without a combine.

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Wed Dec 14, 05 7:48 pm Post subject:
There are ways of doing it by hand, but combines make such a good job that either way you end up spending either time or money doing the job. I wasn't thinking contractors- you'd probably never get them to come, but if you could find an old boy with an old machine, a bit of swift bartering could be all it needs

gil
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 08 Jun 2005
Posts: 18415

Posted: Wed Dec 14, 05 8:07 pm Post subject:
Or someone from the local vintage agricultural machinery society who wants a bit of practice (same goes for ploughing). Pre-combining machinery : reapers, binders, threshers... as well as small combines.

sean
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Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42219
Location: North Devon

Posted: Wed Dec 14, 05 8:09 pm Post subject:
That's what I call a really cunning plan. With a bit of careful negotiation you could probably get them to pay you for the chance.

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Wed Dec 14, 05 8:32 pm Post subject:

sean wrote:

That's what I call a really cunning plan. With a bit of careful negotiation you could probably get them to pay you for the chance.

I think that would be pushing it- but if you can, send them round here

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Thu Dec 15, 05 8:32 pm Post subject:
After a bit of goole images I've found these: https://www.valtra.com.br/Gallery_pics/history/2344/d_3b.jpg https://www.petcaretips.net/john-deere-630.html https://www.deal2china.com/tractor_implement/image/combine_harvesrte_b.jpg Or something modern: https://www.kubota.co.jp/english/division/farm-m/index.html I didn't dare remove safe search.

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Thu Dec 15, 05 8:36 pm Post subject:
A wrap around combine will certainly set you back a few quid & if you can find someone with one who is actually willing to use it, that would be a good option. What sort of access do you have to the site?

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Thu Dec 15, 05 8:39 pm Post subject:

Rob R wrote:

What sort of access do you have to the site?

No site yet, just lots of thoughts at the moment. It occurred to me that there's nothing available between hand harvesting and combines and I assumed there would be. Looking at the list I wouldn't be surprised if there is something from Japan.

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Fri Dec 16, 05 2:19 pm Post subject:
Ah well, that's the thing, you don't see many around because of the economics. A small combine/harvesting machine may cost as much as a large one to buy & run, particularly with parts needign to be shipped in specially etc. They only really invest in such thing where there is a specific need, such as plant breeding companies harvesting small trial plots.

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