The Two-Wheel Tractor Handbook shows small-scale growers how to leverage this versatile, affordable, yet under-utilized tool to maximize the productivity and profitability of their enterprises. Required reading for urban farmers, suburban gardeners, rural homesteaders, orchardists, landscapers, and market gardeners.
Small but mighty ¿ a comprehensive guide to the use of two-wheel tractors for highly productive gardens, landscapes, and farms
This book is truly unique, full of tips, hints, and tidbits even for someone like me who's been farming with such tractors for over 20 years.
¿ Jean-Martin Fortier, author, The Market Gardener
Jam-packed with great information. This book is going to save serious growers a lot of time tinkering around.
¿ Curtis Stone, author, The Urban Farmer
TWO-WHEEL TRACTORS are multifunctional, economical, practical, maneuverable, portable, and low impact. Yet choosing the equipment is only half of it; the other half is integrating the right machine and implements into your land-based enterprise and coupling it with innovative high-efficiency techniques. Coverage includes:
- Why you need a two-wheel tractor
- Two-wheel tractor essentials including tractor implement options and functions
- Equipment decision-making to suit your scale, context, enterprises, and budget
- Safety equipment, operation, and basic maintenance
- Innovative use strategies including micro-plowing, making "Permabeds," in situ mulching, the "Compost-a-path Method," crop guilds, scaling up, and diversified crop management
- How to start from scratch, clearing new land, scaling up your enterprises, and more
- Case studies and rich examples from suburban landscaping to commercial market gardens from Europe and North America
- "Pro tips," "design boxes," and other sidebars for rapidly elevating your skills.
The Two-Wheel Tractor Handbook shows small-scale growers how to leverage walk-behind tractors to maximize the productivity and profitability of their enterprises. This full-color, highly illustrated guide is a must-have tool for urban farmers, suburban gardeners, rural homesteaders, orchardists, landscapers, and market gardeners looking to boost production.
A detailed, beautiful, and much-needed must-have for anyone serious about using small machines to manage their farm.
¿ Matt Powers, author, Regenerative Soil
This very practical manual will help us really understand our two-wheel tractors and get the best out of them.
¿ Pam Dawling, author, The Year-Round Hoophouse and Sustainable Market Farming
ZACH LOEKS is an educator, grower, permaculture designer, and edible ecosystem innovator. Director of the Ecosystem Solution Institute, he helps homes, farms, schools, and municipalities create more edible and diverse landscapes. He is the author of The Edible Ecosystem Solution and The Permaculture Market Garden. Zach lives on his farm in Ontario.