I am reading about farming where they refer to 'drilling' seeds or lime pellets into the soil, apparently without plowing.

I can't find anything online that shows what this attachment looks like, just references to water drilling and prospector-type drilling.

My brother has an old FarmAll tractor, and I was wondering if they make such thing for a 55-YO tractor.

Thanks for any info (or a photo).

Sue

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/owning-operating/138004-questions-about-grain-drills.html


I've seen several parked in front yards with the seed boxes used as flower pots. I don't know how they work though.

I'm sure they work with 55 yr old tractors. Probably function from wheel motion over the ground to turn the mechanisms.

Sue, the techniques you're talking about fall under the umbrella of "no till" (also called "zero till") farming. Much lighter on fuel, but heavier on herbicide application. In some soil types, it apparently works. In others (heavier clay based soils) some tillage is still required.

An air seeder is used for this type of planting. The old style mechanical seed drill isn't suitable for no till work. The ones used on the farmland around me are massive. But they are still pulled by a (huge) tractor and powered by the PTO (power take-off).

I haven't seen one suitable for a small tractor, and I suspect it isn't possible given the horsepower required. But there may be mini units for small-scale operations.

Anyway, search "no till farming" and "air seeder" and you'll have links galore.

Cheers,
-Doug

Thanks, guys! I was thinking of using something like that for liming and planting cover crops. If I could do repeated cover crops thick enough, maybe I wouldn't have to deal with too many weeds!

Sue