The New Horse-Powered Farm : Tools and Systems for the Small-Scale, Sustainable Market Grower
In an era when fuel is a primary concern, draft horses are seen by many as the solution to small-scale, resilient farming with a closed-loop system. Horses bring farmers back to the roots of what it means to work the land and present a viable model for a small farm that lasts, while offering enjoyment for the whole family. This is the first book of its kind, offering wisdom and techniques for using horse power on the small farm or homestead, from longtime horse farmer Stephen Leslie.
The New Horse-Powered Farm sets the stage for incorporating draft power on the farm by presenting tips on getting started with horses, care of the work horse, different horse-training systems, and the merits of different draft breeds. The novice teamster is introduced to the basic tools of horse-drawn tillage and cultivation used for profitable horse-powered farming, with a spotlight on whole-farm management, as well as information on haying with horses, raising small grains, managing the woodlot, farm education, agritourism, and more.
Incorporated throughout are profiles of more than a half-dozen farms that epitomize some exciting new trends in agriculture and highlight the new and old horse-drawn equipment used for profitable market gardening, including contributions directly from the farmers about what works and what doesn’t. The novice teamster is introduced to the specifics of horse-drawn tillage and cultivation of the market garden, and using horses in the woodland. Recent studies on the economics of horse-powered market gardening and a comparison between horse-, human-, and tractor-powered systems have been included to help round out the picture. The resources section lists contact info for teamster schools, books, draft-animal publications, annual events, equipment manufacturers, parts and repairs, and more. A must-have for any farmer, homesteader, or teamster seeking to work with draft power in a closed-loop farming system.
Five Steps to Take If You Think Your Lawnmower Battery is Dead
Picture your lawn after a week or longer of no mowing. It’s a jungle out there! You hop on your lawnmower, and it’s dead in the water. This frustrating scenario occurs to almost every homeowner at some point in life. Get to know the signs that your lawn tractor battery is dead. The clues will point you in the right direction.
Check the Connections
Lawn mower batteries deal with a lot of vibrations. In fact, the vibration can lead to Rapid decline in the power source. This fact tends to make any battery a drawback to a mower in the first place, reports Quicken Loans. However, you can overcome this issue by checking the battery on a regular basis.
Lift up the seat on a riding mower to access the lawn mower battery. Give the wires a gentle pull. If any of them are loose from the battery’s terminals, tighten them up as necessary. All electrical systems rely on solid connections or else the electricity cannot reliably flow. In some cases, it’s just a wire issue that solves the power dilemma.
Try a Charging Session
Connect your questionable battery to a lawn mower battery charger. Set it for 12 volts, which is the standard in the industry. Most lawn and garden devices have this voltage rating as a way to keep consumers safe from any shock.
Allow the charger to power up the battery for up to eight hours. It should have a full charge by this time. If you notice that it’s still indicating a low status, it’s time to replace the battery. The cells can’t absorb the electrical energy as well as they used to do. Working with the same battery won’t improve the situation.
Listen for a Clicking Sound
Starting up your lawnmower can tell you a lot about its health. Grab the pull cord or turn the key in the ignition. If you hear a clicking sound, replacement batteries are probably in your future.
The motor is trying to draw power from the battery, but it’s not receiving enough juice. Proper maintenance on the batterycan prolong its lifespan, but it will decline in time. Swap out the battery and try the power-up sequence again. In most cases, the problem is now solved.
Treat your new battery to regular maintenance now so that it can last for as long as possible. Place it on a trickle charge when you aren’t using the mower over long periods of time, such as over the winter months. You’ll see a marked difference in performance time and lifespan length.
Verify the Voltage
You may be questioning the mower’s electrical system, including the use of a lawn mower battery charger. Put your concerns to rest by pulling out a multimeter. Set the device to DC or direct current.
Attach the meter’s probe to the battery’s terminals. Match the positive lead to the red terminal, and connect the negative lead to the black terminal on the battery. Garden tractors usually have around 12 volts on a healthy battery.
Other voltages might arise on your system, such as:
Keep the battery if it reflects 12.7 volts, but replace it at 11.5 volts. Although your battery might have light indicators that denote charging levels, states Consumer Reports, a multimeter will always give you a better indication of battery health.
Examine the Water Reservoir
Lawn mower batteries usually have a flooded design where you add water for maintenance purposes. Check your battery by accessing the reservoir. It should be filled to the maximum level. If it’s low on water, that may be your only problem. Fill it and test the mower again.
For any questions about your lawn mower battery, contact Northeast Batterytoday. Our team can troubleshoot any battery. Put your mower back on a productive path with quality batteries from our inventory. Your landscape can shine brightly once again!
Recent Posts
How To Determine The Lawn Tractor Battery Size
If the information about the battery size isn’t readily available in the instruction manual or online, you can check it for yourself. In simple terms, the battery size can be identified through the measurement of volts and amps. Most lawn tractors need a 12-volt battery, but large models could need as many as 40 volts. Also, it’s important to be careful when handling the battery and to wash your hands afterward due to the sulfuric acid contained in it.
First, you need to look at the upper section of the battery case. Search for the plastic caps. These can be actually unscrewed to give you a good view of the battery cells. Now, you must determine the total number of plastic caps. This total number should then be multiplied by two – the result is the battery voltage. To give an example, a battery with eight plastic caps has 16 volts. Furthermore, you should look at the battery case to get more information.
A lot of lawn tractor batteries would have the voltage and the max current written there. The voltage would be simplified as “V” while the maximum current is shortened as “A” as it is also known as the amperage. If you still haven’t identified the size of the battery, you can take a picture of the battery. Just send this to the customer service of the battery manufacturer and they should provide you with the necessary information regarding battery replacement.
Factors To Consider In Buying The Best Lawn Tractor Battery
Apart from knowing the battery size that is compatible with your lawn tractor, there are other factors that you need to be aware of before you get a replacement battery.
Terminal Placement
The positive terminal of a battery can be located either on the left side or the right side. You must know the terminal position required for your lawn tractor. The incorrect placement as you proceed to attach the cables could lead to damages both on the lawn tractor and on the replacement battery.
Construction
Some lawn tractor batteries have metal plates while others use lead plates exposed to sulfuric acid. Back then, the use of these lead plates didn’t get enough support due to their corrosion and loss of charge. With the application of calcium, however, these lead plates now have better tolerance for the aforementioned issues.
CCA Rating
CCA refers to the cold cranking ampere, which is something that lawn tractor batteries produce. Each battery has a CCA rating, which is identified through the measurement of the current created in 30 seconds when the temperature is at a mere zero degrees Fahrenheit. When the battery has a CCA rating, it means that it offers a good amount of battery and it will work well even under cold temperatures.
Top 5 Best Lawn Tractor Battery Reviews
Husqvarna YTH2448 Lawn Tractor Battery
This lawn tractor battery weighs a total of 26 pounds with a dimension of 7.68 x 5.12 x 6.46 inches, which is pretty standard. It is considerably heavy, which is a good indicator of thick and sturdy plates. This does seem well-constructed overall, especially with the inclusion of a handle for easy carrying.
One of the most notable features of this Husqvarna battery is the absorbed glass mat (AGM) technology. Combined with a lead-calcium alloy construction, the AGM technology could reduce the amount of maintenance required. Specifically, it is meant to prevent leaks and to eliminate the need to check for battery water levels.
Consequently, the Husqvarna YTH2448 Lawn Tractor Battery is designed to have a long battery life. This is made possible not only due to the fiberglass mat separators but also because of the high cell compression.
In other words, this battery has good vibration resistance even under undesirable conditions. Apart from a warranty lasting 18 months, the Husqvarna YTH2448 Lawn Tractor Battery also comes with a 60-day money back guarantee.
What We Liked
Deck Width
Riding lawn mowers have a steel frame called a mower deck, that sits between the axles near the ground and holds the mower blades. The width of the deck determines how wide a swath of grass the mower cuts with each pass.
Ideally, you want to look for a riding mower that allows you to cut your grass in about an hour to an hour and half. A deck width of around 30 inches will allow you to cover about an acre in that time. Move up to a larger mower with a 42-inch deck for yards up to 1.5 acres. Finally, upgrade to deck size of 50 inches or more for any property larger than 2 acres.
Engine
A riding lawn mower is a piece of heavy machinery, which means it is only as good as the engine that drives it. A riding lawn mower engine powers both the blades in the mowing deck and the wheels that propel the mower forward. A mower with a powerful engine will cut a crisp lawn quick and clean. An underpowered one will drive slowly and require more passes to get your grass sharp and even.
When looking at a riding lawn mower, pay attention to the engine’s horsepower. An 11- to 15-horsepower engine can adequately power a mower with a 30-inch deck. For mowers with decks between 41-46 inches, you should look for no less than 16 horsepower. For the largest mowers, with decks between 52-60 inches, you want an engine capable of producing 22-24 horsepower.
Fuel Types
The majority of riding lawn mowers are powered by gas engines, but there’s been an increasingly large surge of battery-powered riding mowers making their way onto the market, especially as states consider bans on gas-powered yard machines. California claims it will phase out the sale of gas powered engines for lawn mowers and other yard equipment by 2024. Other states like Rhode Island and an increasing number of local municipalities may follow suit.
Battery-powered mowers offer low-maintenance motors that don’t require oil changes. They are also better for the environment and run at lower noise levels. As with other outdoor appliances, though, battery-powered mowers lack the raw power of traditional gas-powered riding mowers. Gas-powered lawn mowers produce about twice as much torque as their electric counterparts.
Charging time is also a potential issue. Battery-powered mowers can run for a couple of hours on a single charge, then need to charge for a full day before their next cut. Most gas-powered riding lawn mowers will last for the same two hours on a single tank of gas, but you can fill them back up in a few minutes and keep on going.
Transmission
As with cars, a lawn mower’s transmission is responsible for transferring power from the engine to the drive wheels. Riding lawn mowers do this either through a manual or hydrostatic transmission.
Just like a car with a stick-shift, a riding mower with a manual transmission features a clutch and requires you to change the gears manually as you speed up and slow down. Unless you already prefer it in a car, going manual may impose a bit of a learning curve, and may be a challenge if you need to execute a lot of turns or travel up and down steep hills while you mow.
Like a car with an automatic transmission, mowers with a hydrostatic transmission don’t require you to shift gears to change speed, making it much easier to operate than a manual transmission. Unfortunately, a hydrostatic transmission is treated as a luxury feature by riding lawn mower manufacturers. They usually cost hundreds of dollars more than similar models with manual transmissions.
If your lawn is wide and flat, with few features to avoid, you may find it worthwhile to save some money and learn how to use a manual transmission mower. If you have rolling hills, trees, gardens, or water features to cut around, the hydrostatic transmission will likely be worth the higher price.
Seating
If you have a yard or field large enough to warrant spending hundreds or thousands of dollars on a riding lawn mower, chances are that you’ll spend a pretty long time mowing. If you care about your back (and your backside), you should make sure that you’ll be able to sit comfortably on your mower.
Look for a riding lawn mower with a thick padded seat. It should also have coil shock absorbers to cushion the ride and a high back that provides lumbar support. Some riding mowers also include such creature comforts as armrests and cup holders, which definitely come in handy if you’re tending to a larger area.
The Growing Season : How I Built a New Lifeand Saved an American Farm
“A gutsy success story” (The New York Times Book Review) about one tenacious woman’s journey to escape rural poverty and create a billion-dollar farming business—without ever leaving the land she loves
The youngest of her parents’ combined twenty-one children, Sarah Frey grew up on a struggling farm in southern Illinois, often having to grow, catch, or hunt her own dinner alongside her brothers. She spent much of her early childhood dreaming of running away to the big city—or really anywhere with central heating. At fifteen, she moved out of her family home and started her own fresh produce delivery business with nothing more than an old pickup truck.
Two years later, when the family farm faced inevitable foreclosure, Frey gave up on her dreams of escape, took over the farm, and created her own produce company. Refusing to play by traditional rules, at seventeen she began talking her way into suit-filled boardrooms, making deals with the nation’s largest retailers. Her early negotiations became so legendary that Harvard Business School published some of her deals as case studies, which have turned out to be favorites among its students.
Today, her family-operated company, Frey Farms, has become one of America’s largest fresh produce growers and shippers, with farmland spread across seven states. Thanks to the millions of melons and pumpkins she sells annually, Frey has been dubbed “America’s Pumpkin Queen” by the national press.
The Growing Season tells the inspiring story of how a scrappy rural childhood gave Frey the grit and resiliency to take risks that paid off in unexpected ways. Rather than leaving her community, she found adventure and opportunity in one of the most forgotten parts of our country. With fearlessness and creativity, she literally dug her destiny out of the dirt.
Отзывы. Написать отзыв
Sarah Frey is a phenom who started her business at age 15 with a “melon route,” selling her and other local farms’ melons to retail stores. Now she heads a multi-million dollar corporation. Читать весь отзыв
The subtitle is all the synopsis you need: How I built a New Life – and Saved an American Farm. Frey’s memoir begins with her childhood on the family farm in southern Illinois. The youngest of her. Читать весь отзыв
The New Horse-Powered Farm : Tools and Systems for the Small-Scale, Sustainable Market Grower
In an era when fuel is a primary concern, draft horses are seen by many as the solution to small-scale, resilient farming with a closed-loop system. Horses bring farmers back to the roots of what it means to work the land and present a viable model for a small farm that lasts, while offering enjoyment for the whole family. This is the first book of its kind, offering wisdom and techniques for using horse power on the small farm or homestead, from longtime horse farmer Stephen Leslie.
The New Horse-Powered Farm sets the stage for incorporating draft power on the farm by presenting tips on getting started with horses, care of the work horse, different horse-training systems, and the merits of different draft breeds. The novice teamster is introduced to the basic tools of horse-drawn tillage and cultivation used for profitable horse-powered farming, with a spotlight on whole-farm management, as well as information on haying with horses, raising small grains, managing the woodlot, farm education, agritourism, and more.
Incorporated throughout are profiles of more than a half-dozen farms that epitomize some exciting new trends in agriculture and highlight the new and old horse-drawn equipment used for profitable market gardening, including contributions directly from the farmers about what works and what doesn’t. The novice teamster is introduced to the specifics of horse-drawn tillage and cultivation of the market garden, and using horses in the woodland. Recent studies on the economics of horse-powered market gardening and a comparison between horse-, human-, and tractor-powered systems have been included to help round out the picture. The resources section lists contact info for teamster schools, books, draft-animal publications, annual events, equipment manufacturers, parts and repairs, and more. A must-have for any farmer, homesteader, or teamster seeking to work with draft power in a closed-loop farming system.