I am seeking advice on an attachment I could use for seeding. I would like to sow a mix consisting of clover, grasses, and some pasture vegetables (daikon, turnips, herbs, etc) on some of my 12.5 acres. Could you offer some suggestions of how I could go about this with no or minimal tillage/plowing?
What I would be concerned with is the planting depth, do you think this would be an issue? I have read that 1/4" to 1/2" is ideal for most of the species I want to plant. Or perhaps the aerators are adjustable?
IMO, for seeds like that your money would be better out into a cultipacker. Legumes, wheat, different story.
First I need to admit I have never used nor seen a Ferguson Yardmaker. However, I have considered buying one for food plot planting and follow T-B-N Yardmaker threads.
If you read the T-B-N archived threads in Post #11, actual users like this equipment. It puts moderate pressure on the seeds as it rolls over them. The cylinder can be filled with water, if desired, increasing pressure on the dropped seeds. However, no respondent in the archive threads reports filling the cylinder, although several note that option. A simple drag, such as cyclone fence or old tires, could be pulled behind the seeder.
(I own an Everything Attachments Cultipacker, so I know how helpful rolling in seed is to germination.)
I looked on eBay yesterday and there are no used Yardmakers for sale presently, but I have seen them in the past. Easy enough to set up a permanent search with e-mail notification when a Ferguson appears.
Ken Sweet, Sweet Tractors in Kentucky, is a Ferguson agent and advertiser here on TBN. I have bought refurbished equipment from Ken and been happy. The one quote he gave me on a new implement, a drop ship from the manufacturer, was good. (KEN SWEET:
sweet@scrtc.com) Sweet's motto is: "We ship fast and cheap."
Ferguson probably has distributors everywhere peanuts are an important crop, as peanut implements are Ferguson's specialty. A call to the factory in Suffolk, Virginia (757) 539-3409 would supply a local dealer who could give a more refined quote than the $2,000 I posted.
Those of you that read my posts know I am dedicated to the KISS PRINCIPLE: "Keep It Simple, Stupid". This is one reason I have been considering a Ferguson rather than more complex gear. I only have five acres plus my yard to plant annually. I am sure a heavy drill would be more economical relative to seed but for five to ten acres the margin would represent small change.