Planting equipment

The old basic John Deere mod 71 planter is hard to beat for larger seed like beans, corn, sunflower, etc. You simply change the plates out, based on what seed you are planting. They are three point hitch mounted and very simple. I found a two row unit all refurbished, online for $750.

Smaller seed like alfalfa, turnips, wheat, oats, etc. can't be planted with this unit. They are best planted with a box "drill" type planter but those can be a little pricey. Most of these really don't need coverage, so much as they need good seed to soil contact. An easier solution is jut to broadcast this seed, then run a cultipacker over it to press things down tight. Get a nice electric seeder for your ATV. If you don't have access to a cultipacker, just dragging something like an old bed springs or a harrow will usually get an acceptable job.

I have a IH McCormick drill and it plants the corn & sunflower seeds right along with the smaller clover & brassica seeds with changing the plates , the fertilizer box is pretty rusted but the grain seed box is in great shape .

I will give you $250 for two rows of that. LOL!

I found my drill sitting at an old farm I drive by and saw it was never being used . One day a lady was out in the yard and I stopped and asked her about it & she said she was widowed and had no use for it anymore . She said I could have it for $250 & I told her I would be back in an hour with help to get it . I put new seed tubes on it and also a new treated feeder board so I have about $400 in it , not sure what it's worth but I am sure I can get my money back .

Are the seed plates readily available?

A farmer friend of mine has a refurbished 2 row that they bought to use to do some replanting of missed rows. I borrowed it one year, but it had no plates in it. He is more of a manager than a "hands on farmer" and he had no idea that it didn't have any plates in it.... He had no idea if it had any plates when they bought it, nor where the plates would be. So, I'd like to buy him at least the corn plates as a thank you for letting me borrow it.

Lots of plates around. I have about 50 corn and 50 soybean plates. I think each seed company had their own?? I have some for round seed, square seed, rectangle seed etc. I always just use the plate with the largest opening and seems to work fine. Any used equipment dealer will have them laying around for cheap.