Hands-On: Trying Out Tools

Hands-On: Trying Out Tools

Carmen, Maja and Helaina with dogsSunday, Aug. 20 | 9 a.m.-Noon

Hosts: Carmen Black, Maja Black, Helaina Thompson & Carlos Williams

Sundog Farm

Address: 5025 120th St. NE | Solon, IA 52333

***This event is at capacity. Please email Rachel Burke at rachel.burke@practicalfarmers.org to be added to the wait list.

The team of farmers at Sundog Farm loves equipment, and mechanization has been critical to increasing their efficiency as they scale up and add enterprises. Sisters Carmen and Maja Black and their farm partners, Helaina Thompson and Carlos Williams, are excited to share what they have learned about using and caring for different types of equipment on their vegetable farm. They are also eager to give beginners a chance to try these tools out and ask questions that can help them make decisions for their own farms.

Sundog Farm will try to accommodate specific tool and implement requests beyond what is listed. Requests can be made through the PFI registration form for this event.

This is a hands-on machinery and tool workshop. For safety and logistics reasons, attendance is limited to 20, and registration is required. No walk-ins.

A lunch will follow this workshop from noon-1 p.m. After lunch, attendees are encouraged to stay for the Sundog Farm field day from 1-3 p.m. and a land access discussion from 3:30-4:30 p.m.

Sponsored by: 

  • Iowa Specialty Crop Growers Association
  • Treffler-Man@Machine
  • Welter Seed and Honey Company

See & Discuss:

  • Hand-scale field tools
  • A bicycle-powered potato washer
  • Cultivating tractors
  • An undercutter
  • Tractors ranging from 20-100 hp
  • Planting implements: sweet corn planter, potato planter, water wheel
  • A tine weeder and other cultivating implements
  • Livestock tools for small ruminants and poultry
  • Solar electric fencing