Progressive Farmer Progressive Farmer
Your Country Home and Family Horses and Farm Animals Farm Fresh Gardens Outdoors and Wildlife You Can Do It Projects Landowner Know-How Farming As A Business

You Can Do It Projects

June/July 08: Handy Devices
Ingenious ideas sent in by farmers, large landowners, and people who make their living in the country.
E-mail this article Printer-friendly

Ingenious ideas sent in by farmers, large landowners, and people who make their living in the country.

Triple Hitch

Keith Massart of Algoma, Wis., made a versatile hitch for his utility trailer. The bottom hitch fits his lawn tractor; the middle hitch works with his compact tractor; and on top is his "people hitch," which is a handle that makes moving the trailer easy for him or his wife. The handle is made of 1/2-inch threaded rod and screws on and off with one nut.

 

 

Sweet Corn Protector
It won't scare away crows, but an appropriately-placed bug zapper can keep earworm moths from sweet corn before they have a chance to lay their eggs. Paul Kraft of Madison, Miss., plants a sweet corn patch near a tool shed and hangs an electric bug zapper under the eaves.
Double Gate Support
Two gates are harder to support than one. Barbara Rettig of Crowell, Texas, designed a double gate support, whose height can be adjusted to suit the situation. She used 3-inch channel iron for the upper support and a disc from an old grain drill as the wide base. The two-piece stem consists of a 1 5/8-inch pipe and a 1 3/8-inch pipe, which slide together. A 1/2-inch bolt threaded through the larger pipe is the mechanism for adjusting the length of the stem and therefore the height of the support. The whole assembly is easily removable.
Bed Lifter
Electric and hydraulic lifts on the dump beds of utility vehicles work great. But Bud Neubert's utility terrain vehicle came with a manual dump bed. So the Birchwood, Tenn., landowner bought a $30 boat winch and hooked it to the rollover frame. A few cranks and the load dumps.
Print  

Subscribe to PF

Advertising Info Idea House and Farmstead Farms $ Land For Sale Farmers Market The Best Places to Live