Tillage and Weed Management Techniques and Tools at The Seed Farm

Sara Runkel, Executive Director, The Seed Farm

These demonstrations take place on our training farm and are appropriate for small- to mid-scale vegetable operations. This season we have a new half-acre production area that is designed to show tools and techniques for the small scale grower (two acres or less). In our larger production area, we will be demonstrating tools for the
mid-sized grower (two to ten acres), including a number of different mechanical cultivation tools.

The tillage demonstration includes a comparison of primary tillage tools including a three bottom moldboard plow, a seven tooth chisel plow, and our new 75-inch Celli Spader. The secondary tillage demonstration includes a seven foot disk and rototiller with a walk-behind BCS tractor. The weed management trial will include a comparison of various mulching options (tomatoes in black plastic, straw, and landscape fabric), mechanical cultivation tools (I&J two-row cultivator, William’s tool system with side knives and tine weeder, and the Buddingh basket weeder), and other types of weed control appropriate for small scale production (various hand hoes, wheel hoes, and flame weeding).

The tillage and weed management demonstrations are both underway and I look forward to a productive and educational season. The Seed Farm will be hosting an equipment field day on July 25th where participants will be able to see all of our equipment in action and the progress of the demonstrations. Please visit The Seed Farm website for more information about the program and
extension.psu.edu/start-farming for workshop registration.