The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Smallholding => Equipment => Topic started by: Bodger on October 09, 2013, 10:30:09 am
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Someone on another thread mentioned moles and it made me remember this.
About ten years ago, I killed some moles for a farmer and in return, I got not one but two of these. Its a potato spinner by the way.
(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m180/kcooper2006/2010/potatoes012.jpg)
The vintage spinners been abandoned in the corner of a field and were covered in nettles and brambles. I saw their potential and together my friend Hawkeye and I dragged them out and off home. Dave can turn his hand to just about anything and was able to make one good one out of the two. Its been his trusty servant and treasured possession ever since.
This morning, it was time to call it into service again, in getting Daves potato crop out of the ground. Here are the pictures that I took.
(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m180/kcooper2006/2010/potatoes009.jpg)
There's a hoe on the machine that loosens the potatoes and then the spinning device tosses them out and to one side.
(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m180/kcooper2006/2010/potatoes005.jpg)
(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m180/kcooper2006/2010/potatoes006.jpg)
(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m180/kcooper2006/2010/potatoes008.jpg)
Many hands make light work and there were plenty of people to help bag the spuds. No ! Not Eastern Europeans but North West Walians. ;D Unfortunately, I was even less help than usual, because I've been suffering from something similar to vertigo since having a bout of gastro enteritus last week and bending down picking potatoes would not have been good. Thats my excuse and I'm sticking to it. :innocent:
(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m180/kcooper2006/2010/potatoes002.jpg)
(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m180/kcooper2006/2010/potatoes014.jpg)
And finally, my favourite helper of all. Hannah the chocolate labrador.
(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m180/kcooper2006/2010/potatoes013.jpg)
There should be plenty of jacket potatoes and chips for the Hawkeye family this year. :farmer:
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Brilliant :thumbsup:
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Arhhh, just loved those photos.......I never went spud bashing as a child but my brother and friends did, it was a traditional job for young people to get some pocket money......the Chocolate lab has the most important job though!! :love:
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Lovely photos ;D and lovely soil! We have always had sticky clay :-\ . Enjoy your spuds :thumbsup:
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Arhhh, just loved those photos.......I never went spud bashing as a child but my brother and friends did, it was a traditional job for young people to get some pocket money......the Chocolate lab has the most important job though!! :love:
You shouldn't have said you liked the photos, because here's a load more. I did this bit back in 2007. :farmer:
I've spent last Saturday morning helping forum member Hawkeye to plant potatoes on his smallholding. It was quite labour intensive but great fun.
First of all we harrowed the field with the Grey Fergison. Hawkeye asked me to point out that he was using a home made harrow.
(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m180/kcooper2006/overthegate/p2.jpg)
(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m180/kcooper2006/overthegate/p1.jpg)
Then we hooked up the potatoe planter. A fine piece of old machinery.
(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m180/kcooper2006/overthegate/P7.jpg)
And here it is in action. The machine ploughs the ground and the two operators drop a potato down the shoot when they hear a small bell sound. The last thing the machine does is to bank the furrow up over the potato. Here are some more pictures of the days activities. I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed riding on the planter. The bell rang so many times that I came off feeling quite punch drunk.
(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m180/kcooper2006/overthegate/P9.jpg)
(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m180/kcooper2006/overthegate/P5.jpg)
I've seen straighter furrows.
(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m180/kcooper2006/overthegate/P17.jpg)
It was a real family affair and we even used the little lads Christmas presents to take the seed potatoes to where they were required.
(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m180/kcooper2006/overthegate/P13.jpg)
The kids had to have a ride back on the planter of course.
(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m180/kcooper2006/overthegate/P21.jpg)
It was a bright sunny morning with a chill wind blowing and my finger ends were a bit numb at the end of it all.
We put numerous varieties in, including some that they hope to win with at the local shows.
These were Markies, Cara, Romano, Catriona, Kestrel Red, Duke of York and finally the good old reliable Sharps Express.
This year was the first time in decades that the field has been cultivated , it was near to the cliff tops with beautiful views of the sea. A nice spot to talk over the gate and watch spuds grow.
(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m180/kcooper2006/overthegate/P3.jpg)
Your roving TAS Reporter Bodge :farmer:
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I returned to have a look at the crop on May 27th of that year.
Here's an update on the potato field. I went up there tonight and took Bella and the camera with me for a walk.
(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m180/kcooper2006/d8.jpg)
(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m180/kcooper2006/d7.jpg)
(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m180/kcooper2006/d6.jpg)
"Only a potato field" I can hear you say but a lot of heart and soul went into the preparation and planting of that field of spuds.
The kids who helped on the tractor gave Bella a big thumbs up tonight. Lucky kids eh ? :horse:
(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m180/kcooper2006/d9.jpg)
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Brilliant...just took a look at your forum and was so tempted..only looked at the dog bit as |I love dogs...Love potatoes as well mind you...... :innocent:
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I might as well make this a really big picture thread. :excited: :excited: :excited:
http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php?topic=37810.0 (http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php?topic=37810.0)
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I was just moling this over
Mole on Vimeo (http://vimeo.com/76511947)