the march of the lettuce

chicken tractor

Building a chicken tractor. The short and sweet version.

Build a 2" X 4" base that is 12' long X 8' wide.

Cattle panels attach to one side (hammer on U-shaped fasteners) and then bend over and attach to the other side. There are three panels used in this design, each 4' wide.

The extra cattle panel pieces are used to fashion end walls.

One end wall gets an access door. The entire chicken tractor gets covered in poultry mesh and all the connections are fastened with wire.


A tarp is added for sun/rain protection. The nesting box is attached. A rod is added for roosting and feeder and waterer are hung near the door and under the tarp.

Add chickens (these get to regularly wander outside on nice days).

Production Stuff

high tunnel low tunnel

Bend your own hoops.

http://www.johnnyseeds.com/p-7707-quick-hoops-bender-6-diam.aspx

deer fencing

The Elma C Lomax Incubator Farm uses a fairly simple method of fencing as the primary way of excluding deer from the farm. Cedar posts are in place at the start of the fence and at major corners. Here you can see the electric line coming from underground. It attaches to the fence through a switch.

The rope itself is made of nylon and it has continuous strands of metal woven into it. Fiberglass rods are used to keep it at the right height. The deer have trouble with it because of deep perception.

Here you can see the fence as it runs the Northeastern boundary of the property.

Starting Seeds

A vacuum seeder is used to seed 288 cell flats very quickly. Note: this one was made by Brad who is operating it.

Float bed for transplant production. The flats float on top of the water.

Empty flat

The underside of a flat. The hole lets in water.

A seedling rack with germination chamber at the bottom.

A timer controls the florescent lights.

A thermostat controls the heat mat in the germination chamber.

Inside the germination chamber.

Watering in a small container.

Watering in a kiddie pool.

stinging nettle