Do you have a favorite catalog?

[BackerBunch]

Hi all,

My husband brought home a catalog called FarmTek from work. It's interesting but the items are expensive to me. Does anyone have a favorite catalog or online site for the backyard gardener vs. the ones for commercial farmers? Also, does anyone know of a website for people selling tractor implements? We would like to get an auger for our tractor so we can fence in the rest of our yard. Thanks!

 

[OldGuy43]

Harbor Freight. The way I do it is buy a tool from them (Tools from there aren't always the best quality, but they are cheap.) and try it to see if it works for me. If I use it enough I use it until it breaks. If I found it useful enough than I buy a quality tool from Lowe's.

http://www.harborfreight.com/

Hint: Keep your receipt from Harbor Freight, most of their stuff comes with a 90 day warranty, but you have to have the receipt.

Pick your favorite search engine and search on " tractor implements used post hole auger digger ", assuming you are looking for a used one. Don't forget to allow for shipping. Since that will probably be a one time use item I'd consider trying local commercial tool rental places. Renting may be a better option for you.

 

[digitS']

I have ordered from Farmtek quite a few times. Or, Growers Supply, "a division of Farmtek."

I don't believe that things like the UV-resistant plastic film is high-priced but haven't really shopped around on the internet. Whatever the case, it isn't easily available locally.

I have begun to think that I am making a mistake buying construction-grade plastic film ever for any growing needs. Put on 3 months ago, the stuff over my tunnel has already begun to break. Of course, it is never useful a 2nd season anyway but it is so much less than transparent, I'm not sure how much light it allows thru. (I do, however, wish that Farmtek wouldn't send me a new catalog every other month .)

Steve

 

[BackerBunch]

OldGuy, I'm going to have to make it to a Harbor Freight one of these days. You're the 2nd or 3rd person to recommend them in the last few months. Your search idea came in handy. I found out Rotomec makes augers for John Deere. We didn't know that and now feel we have more options. In fact, DH found a location about an hour from here that has an auger he's interested in. We thought about renting one at first until we sat down and started talking about what we wanted to do around here; fence in the lower part of our property, ask the person whose property backs up to ours if we can lease and fence in a small part of their property (We live in a subdivision that doesn't allow livestock but they don't), install some gates and some privacy fencing. With all that, we figured we'll just go ahead and buy one. That way DH can work at his own pace.

digitS', Growers Supply is interesting. After pricing greenhouses, DH thinks it's best to build one. I'm not too keen on covering it in plastic film. I worry about how long it would hold up so I'm looking at different options. One of DH's idea's is to go to the Habitat for Humanity reStore and see if they might have some storm windows and doors. I want my work table to have cabinets underneath it so I can store stuff and hopefully, we can find some of those at the reStore too. I think I'm a glutten for punishment though. When it comes to gardening, I love getting catalogs, even the ones from FarmTek.

ETA: Looks like I have some more research to do. I'm not sure if Rotomec makes augers for JD now.

 

[lesa]

Steve, I hate to think what Farmtek wastes in postage. I swear at times, I get one a week. I think I ordered a roll of tape from them, once....

 

[OldGuy43]

OldGuy, I'm going to have to make it to a Harbor Freight one of these days.

OldGal insists that I give you this hint. Do NOT let your DH go to Harbor Freight alone with the credit card or checkbook. She cringes every time I go there. They have so much great stuff.

One of DH's idea's is to go to the Habitat for Humanity reStore and see if they might have some storm windows and doors.

Do some shopping before going to ReStore. Around here they are far from the bargain you'd expect since they are supposedly selling stuff that was donated.

ETA: Looks like I have some more research to do. I'm not sure if Rotomec makes augers for JD now.

As far as I know if your tractor has a 3 point hitch all the accessories are pretty much interchangeable. Who manufactured the tractor has nothing to do with it. It's an industry standard developed back in the 1920's. There are different categories, depending on tractor size. For more info see here:

http://www.tractordata.com/articles/technical/threepoint.html

Good luck.

 

[BackerBunch]

Let DH go to Harbor Freight without me?? No way! They might have something I want!

Thanks for the link. Yes, our tractor has a 3 point hitch. I was able to find an auger under a different manufacturer that DH said would fit our tractor. He liked the price too. The only problem was they didn't have a box scrape in stock. Because they are 2 hrs away DH wants to wait until they have both in before driving up to get them. (He liked the price of their box scrape too.) Unfortunately, the salesman told me it would probably be at least a month if not longer before they got on in. Oh well, patience is a virtue, right?

 

[nittygrittydirtdigger]

Ahem....Harbor Freight has an online site, and they have a $6.99 flat rate shipping fee for most items that aren't oversized. www.harborfreight.com