Hands-On: Trying Out Tools

Sunday, Aug. 20 | 9 a.m.-Noon

Hosts: Carmen Black, Maja Black & Helaina Thompson

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

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 partner, Helaina Thompson, 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

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