[AT] Now NC twisters: -now hail vegetable discussion

[charlie hill]

That is why I wondered if someone had made a purpose built Sickle bar mower. 
Here in tobacco country they use a machine that cuts the tops (flower) out 
of the plants.  It uses a blower to blow the leaves down out of the way so 
the cutter can get to the stalk cleanly without cutting the valuable "tip" 
leaves.   I wonder if some sort of blower might also be used, maybe behind 
the sickle to blow the leaves away from the plant.    I also wondered if 
anyone had ever tried to make a sickle mower with a sort of conveyor behind 
it (kind of a small, combine bean header) that would cut and harvest the 
greens.

Please don't think I'm trying to re-invent what you guys do very well.  I'm 
just curious and musing about the possibilities.

Charlie

-----Original Message----- 
From: Grant Brians
Sent: Wednesday, April 20, 2011 8:41 PM
To: Antique tractor email discussion group
Subject: Re: [AT] Now NC twisters: -now hail vegetable discussion

Charlie, your question about using a Sickle bar mower to cut baby vegetable
greens for re-growth is a good one. I have a sickle bar mower and have used
them in the past extensively. I have always liked them for cutting many
items and find their technology to be fascinating. Interestingly, because I
have not had the time to try using the sickle-bar mower that I have in the
three years I have had this particular one, I am not sure if it would do a
better or worse job on cutting baby greens for regrowth or not! It seems to
me that the down side would be no control of where the cut leaves fall -
i.e. some would land on the crop.) On the other hand, it seems to me that
with a sharp sickle bar, for some greens it could possibly work out fine. I
just am not sure yet and until I could test the sickle bar out, I am
hesitant to speculate....
         Grant Brians
         Hollister,California farmer of Vegetables, Nuts and Fruit.

-----Original Message-----
From: at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com
[mailto:at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com]On Behalf Of Ron Cook
Sent: Wednesday, April 20, 2011 8:09 AM
To: Antique tractor email discussion group
Subject: Re: [AT] Now NC twisters: -now hail vegetable discussion


Charlie,
     Please do not take offense, but I think you meant to write _sickle_
bar cutter.  If it were sharp and in really good shape, it would likely
leave less trauma to the plant.  Now, mine is never very sharp, nor is
it in top shape after mowing road shoulders on gravel roads.  A disc
mower came to my mind for this experiment but I have no experience with
them.  They are out of my budget range.  Too new.

Ron Cook
Salix, IA

On 4/20/2011 9:04 AM, charlie hill wrote:
> Thanks Grant.  That makes a lot of sense and answers my question.  One
other
> question.  You didn't mention cycle bar cutters.  Seems like they would
make
> a cleaner cut than any sort of rotary.
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