Hi Allan : How long are your rows? Mine are 2 sets of about 75-90 ft.More than that, and you discourage your help (no-end-in-sight) in planting/harvesting. Less than that, and i would have had to allocate another permanent path. Do you have a treed perimeter, or plan on one? I have an (encroaching) treed perimeter I've tried the tractor- back-in whim, and it was a pain in my neck at 75 ft., and, it's one extra soil pass! whose effects are not necessarily nullified by the ensuing cultivation. (I have seen this done in a greenhouse where space is really at a premium.) Since then, i've justified the entire sod perimeter and several quartering drivepaths. Just logistically, it makes for more efficient work. Won't you periodically want to traverse freely with a harvest wagon(s) to lay out quantities of earthy carrots , or onions or garlic to dry and be ready to cover or transport en masse to storage at convenience? Or possibly a large lot of strawmulch?to various sites.. whether by tractor or horse, or a dozen weekend weeders. I don't view the paths as wasted, because i let them grow quite high before cutting. All that time they provide habitat for insects, and the residue has microbial/carbon spinoffs which eventually contribute to the garden too. I love to run my muddy fingers through the dewey grass after harvesting, or lay out veggies to keep them cleaner. I try to drive on different lines all the time, so as not to create the usual hump-centre which creates more torrential paths in severe rain. Grasses have been referred to as the "empathetic forgiveness of nature", and when many of the plots are under tillage this strikes me as a reminder. Anyway, my drive paths are about 14'. This allows just enough room to swing my finger rake or cultivator around behind me.( I never make turns on the cultivated "headland" ....much too grinding on the micros.) All depends on your tractor's turning radius. .........manfred
----- Original Message ----- From: "Allan Balliett" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Sunday, February 10, 2002 7:46 AM Subject: Tractor Turnaround space Re: introduction and a WHOLE lotta questions > Woody and/or Barbara said: > > >Say 40% of that is paths and tractor turnaround space, and you've > >got 12,000 square feet of bed space, > > > I'm in the process of fencing a 7 acre garden. I plan on spading down > cover crops and using a bedshaper for the first couple of years, but > I also plan on getting the tractor out of the garden as soon as > possible. The goal is permanent raised beds. > > Right now the garden area is too wet to have the tractor in to do a > real-world tryout, but I really need to be determining how much space > to leave for turnaround. In a way, I'd prefer to work to the fence > and back out of the row, but I have to admit that in the long run, > that's a literal pain in the neck and restrictive (or impossible > later in the season.) > > How much land, my friends, do YOU set aside for end-of-row tractor > turnabout? (ouch! with implements, of course.) I guess I'm hoping > against hope that a few have worked out tricks that will keep me from > setting all that fenced garden aside of tractor geometry a couple of > times a season. > > -Allan >
