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INFORMATION REQUEST RE: TOOLS (APOLOGIES FOR CROSS



POSTINGS)
Reply-to: RBAIRSTOW.parti@parti.inforum.org
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           Healthy Soil, Healthy Food, Healthy People

                       Rodale Institute
            611 Siegfriedale Rd., Kutztown, PA 19530
            Tel: (610) 683-1400  Fax: (610) 683-8548
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Re:  Questions on Tools


Rodale Institute is writing a book describing weed-control tools 
used throughout the United States in all types of farming. The 
working title is "Steel in the Field: A Farmer's Guide to Weed 
Control Tools. The publisher is the USDA SARE program.

The book will use line-drawing illustrations and technical data of 
tool types available in the areas of row crops, horticultural crops 
(fruit, vegetable, vines) and cereal crops (especially in dryland 
systems). Farmer and other expert narratives on successful weed 
management that depends on mechanical and thermal tools will round 
out the volume.


Range of Tools-

Major attention: row-crop cultivators and rotary hoes for light, 
high and maximum residue systems. Also: several dozen others, 
including Lilliston rolling cultivators, bade plows, coil-tine 
harrows, flamers, Bezzerides in-row tools, tool guidance systems and 
active tillage units for vegetables and vineyards.


I am having some trouble finding answers to a few questions:

1)  What tables or charts exist comparing "total costs" for various 
weed-control tools?

I need figures which include estimates of:

* machine cost,
* acres per hour,
* repair costs; and 
* useful lifetime.

2)  What will be the most effective way to develop a single chart 
for the proposed range of tools?


If anyone has information regarding these points, I would greatly 
appreciate some input.

I can be reached at:

222 Main St. 
Emmaus, PA 18098
Tel:       610-967-8108
Fax:      610-967-8959

or reply to:

rbairstow.parti@parti.inforum.org

Thank you,

Greg Bowman