Essential Micro-Farm Equipment for Productivity and Profit

Very sturdy, I've had one for 20 years. Get yours here.

The Hand-Held Soil Blocker

A soil blocker is an amazing little tool that eliminates the need for tray inserts for starting seeds, saving you money.  

Soil blocks grow sturdy transplants and reduces transplant shock. The soil blocker also makes transplanting more efficient by planting more than one seed in each soil block.

These multi-plant blocks can be transplanted into the garden precisely spaced and very efficiently. I use multi-plant blocks for beets and bunching onions.

Fast and precise seeding for many different crops

Push Seeder

The Jang Single Row Push Seeder is a top-tier choice for the market gardener looking to improve seeding accuracy and efficiency.

It singulates seed very effectively, reducing your overall seed cost by not dropping excess seed on the ground. It not only speeds up your sowing but also eliminates the need to thin your crop.These two features save you money and labour.

There are cheaper options out there; but like with any investment, the buying decision should be based on money spent versus money saved. The Jang seeder is on the right side of that equation. Solidly built to last many years.

Source these from your local dealer so you can get parts and maintenance if required

I don't have one of these, but a neighbour does, and I've seen it in action.  If I was to start all over equipping my farm, this would be my first choice for garden prep work.

For mechanization on a small scale, a 2-wheel tractor is a versatile option. With interchangeable attachments such as tillers, mowers, and plows, and the power harrow shown, this compact machine can handle various tasks, from tilling the soil to maintaining your farm's infrastructure. And it costs a fraction of the price of a full-size tractor.

Preparing the soil for planting can be labor-intensive, but a power harrow can make the task more manageable. This implement creates a fine seedbed, improving seed germination and plant growth. Because the depth of cultivation can be managed, it's  a great tool to use when stale seed bed planting.

Read more about using silage tarps here

Silage tarps

Silage tarps are primarily used to suppress weeds. By covering the soil, they block sunlight, which prevents weed seeds from germinating and growing. This is particularly helpful for reducing established weed pressure without herbicides. In as little as a few weeks, most weeds die off or become much easier to manage.

The combination of tarping, flame weeding on pre-emergent beds, and the collinear hoe for cultivation can reduce the time and  labour spent weeding by up to 90%/

Image from Johnny's seeds

The collinear hoe is a game-changer for small-scale farmers. With its razor-sharp blade, this tool allows you to slice through weeds just below the surface, minimizing soil disturbance and reducing weed regrowth.

An because you have precisely spaced your seeds with your six-row seeder, the collinear how will make quick work of this chore.

Usually comes with interchangeable cutting heads to accommodate different row spacing. Keep the hoe end razor sharp for effective cultivation.

You can see the CoolBot on the wall.

Cold Storage. Just like protecting your garden, you need to take care of your crops once harvested. The first year of our CSA market garden we got by with a couple used refrigerators to keep the veggies cool.

But we quickly outgrew that, and built a cold room powered by a 10,000 BTU room A/C and controlled by a  CoolBot unit.

If you are going to take the trouble to grow great veggies, keep them in top shape for your customers with a cold room. You can see more about CoolBot here.