Growing potatos

oldironman · Jan 30, 2012

Does anyone on here grow potatoes for a living. I would like to know what you use for planting and digging. I have an old digger but I would like to get a newer one and a newer planter. Where would I find these items.

Kippster · Jan 30, 2012

As for where to find good potato equipment I watch for auctions. Thats where all my stuff comes from. I've never bought any tater equipment new. I can say that most of our equipment for potatoes is made by Lockwood. Good sturdy reliable equipment.

James Williams · Jan 30, 2012

Old Iron man go to the IH sight,I used your picture just now,trying to find info about the same digger you have,call me at 304-582-9995

jimmy

El Toro · Jan 30, 2012

Contact the Advanced Farm Equipment in MI at 1-877-287-5711 for potato planters and diggers.
Untitled URL Link

WJD · Jan 30, 2012

My neighbors have raised potatoes for many years. They use Lockwood planters and diggers. Labor has been one of the biggest problems in recent years. In the old days they used irrigation pipe that was disassembled every few days and moved to the next section of the field. They had a rack ontop of an old Jeep for moving the irrigation pipe. They have done away with all of this and now use center pivots (sp?),
Also in the old days (20 years ago) they washed and bagged their potatoes for grocery stores. Now they are all washed and sold in bulk for potato chips.

mazemeister · Jan 30, 2012

used to. well, my parents did. switched to retail vegetables in '01.

we always used what was at the time old equipment. we had an IH planter, then upgraded to a newer old lockwood. our digger was made by Hesston. the line was later sold with Utah decals, and later still I believe sold to McConnell. Here's one of my grandpa digging probably in the early 80s.

cumminspuller · Jan 30, 2012

I don't grow them for a living but I worked for a neighbor for a year who grows sweet potatos. What he did was kept potatos from the previous year and barried them in raised beds to get his plants. Then Mexicans come in a cut the plants and put them in milk creates. We used a hipper to then build up the rows for the plants. Then use a 4 row mechanical transplanter to set plants. Harvest goes 2 was. Either a 4 row inverter or a 2 row digger. The invertor just digs the potatos out of the ground and dumps them right back on top of the ground. Works well if you have the right amount of help. All of his equipment is built by Strickland Equipment out of NC minus the transplanter. Pretty good quality equipment. This equipment is used a on 100 to 400 acres of sweet potatos yearly. Hope this helps. I don't have any pics at the moment.

Chester5731 · Jan 30, 2012

I guess the stuff in that photo puts my horse drawn stuff to shame.

El Toro · Jan 30, 2012

We also raised sweet potatoes when we were on the farm. We made a raised bed and then set out the plants. It's hard to imagine 400 acres of sweet potatoes. We only had 200 acres and some of that was wooded. We were milking about 40 cows. That all changed when the Korean War started and my brother joined the Air Force and I was drafted into the Army. Hal

RayP(MI) · Jan 30, 2012

You ought to see what real potato farmers use for planting, digging. Planters are usually 6 to 8 row units. Takes a fairly fromidable tractor to pull them. Load them with hopper trucks with conveyors. Planter capacity is such they can plant half mile long fields without reloading - (both directions). Harvesters are huge units that are self propelled. They usualy follow 4 row potato digging machines, have a truck following along beside to catch the potatoes. Hopper trucks are usually pretty large, dual rear axle units. Pototo growing is a HUGE operation around here.

Growing potatos

oldironman

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Kippster

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James Williams

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El Toro

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WJD

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mazemeister

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cumminspuller

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Chester5731

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El Toro

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RayP(MI)

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