Thinking about creating a small crop farm or expanding your existing one? With the cost of produce on the increase, that really isn't such a bad idea. To make the work a little easier and give you more time to enjoy your garden, you're going to need some help.

First, decide just how big you want to grow. Then, draw up a plan. Next, you'll want to take a look at the variety of tools and machines that will help you prepare the fields, plant the crops, fertilize, control pests, water and harvest.

The size of your fields is a factor in determining what equipment and implements will work best. Some farm equipment is more specialized, while others can be used regardless of what's planted.

A tractor is the first piece of equipment that you'll need. For acreage at 50 or less, a compact tractor with about 30-50 horsepower would work well. Kubota carries a full line of tractors to suit any size farm. Their ease in handling and superb reliability clearly make them the best investment for your farm.

To plow the soil, you'll need a plow or tiller attachment. The condition of your soil and whether you want to till the soil or not will determine the type of plow attachment you need. Next, a harrow or mulcher attachment will smooth the surface and break up clods of soil for easier planting.

After plowing or tilling the soil, a planter or seeder attachment will plant the seeds and add fertilizer. The type of seeder you need will depend on what you plan to plant. Seeders for cereal grains are different from seeders for corn and beans. However, a carefully selected seeder can be used for a variety of different seeds. An important consideration for row crops, such as corn and beans, is the number of rows the seeder creates. The row count should be the same for the seeder, cultivator and harvester.

Once the crops begin to grow, it's a good idea to cultivate between the crop rows. A cultivator lightly tills the soil between the crops to remove weeds and help loosen the soil for better water absorption. It also helps in combating weeds without using herbicides. 

Finally, a harvester or combine is a good investment if you have a larger farm and no contracted laborers to harvest for you. If your farm is large enough for a harvester, then you may want to have at least one large truck for hauling produce.

Other helpful equipment for small farms include: a zero-turn mower (turns on a dime and sure beats the old push mower), an RTV for shorter trips around the farm and hauling things that don't require a tractor (Kubota produces closed cab RTV's that are great for hot and cold weather), a bush hog attachment (for clearing the land), pesticide sprayer, irrigation sprinkler and trailers. These are just a few of the many pieces of equipment and implements that are available to grow your farm.  

As always, at Cahaba Tractor, our staff of highly trained professionals will help you in determining and choosing the right equipment for you, and it doesn't end there. Our Service Department is highly rated in Kubota customer satisfaction surveys and will help with any questions or servicing of your equipment.

The only thing left to do is to choose your farm or garden location and select your crops. Now you're on your way to farming. Happy planting!