Tractors are nice, but without any additional equipment, they have very few uses. Implements are needed to plow fields, plant crops, and control weeds. Thus, we have used funds received from our generous donors to procure the best equipment for the job.
The first implement we purchased was a three-bottom moldboard plow. Each bottom is slatted, and is 14 inches wide. In light soils, this plow can be pulled by a tractor with as little as 25 horsepower, and in heavy soils, a Farmall M at 39 horsepower handles the plow nicely. Our Farmall 400 has 50 horsepower, so it will easily handle the plow in a wide variety of soils. Given the warm conditions during the season (80-90 degrees Fahrenheit), we thought it best to err on the side of not overworking the tractor, as we want to be sure that it lasts for years to come.
Kent Shea, the mechanic who owned the tractor, found the plow for us and helped us buy it. He and his fellow mechanic Ronnie Leebens spent many hours working on the plow to get it in perfect condition. Together, they rebuilt the plow bottoms using welding and other techniques, the replaced the plow lays and tires, and built a durable metal handle to raise and lower the plow from the tractor seat. They adjusted everything and it is now a smooth, durable machine that has thousands of acres ahead of it.
We purchased a four-row row-crop cultivator to remove weeds between the rows during the growing season. We also purchased a four-row planter, complete with boxes for seed, fertilizer and insecticide, as well as spare plates and gears to adjust the planter for different seed sizes and populations. Implements which we still plan to purchase include a ten-foot wide disc and a small mounted sprayer, which should cost around $1,500 together.
