Sunflower 9412 No-till Drill

Use the Sunflower no-till drill to establish your cover crop, rotate or convert annual crops to perennial crops, improve hay or pasture by adding legumes or a legume/grass mix, or establish legumes (i.e. soybeans) or cereal grains without primary tillage.

Rental Details:

• The drill has two seed boxes – one for larger grass seed, and one for small legume seeds
• The 3,876 lb drill is 10 ft wide and requires at least a 100 HP tractor with a pin and 3-point hitch
• It is the farmer’s responsibility to maintain the equipment and to address any preventable damage and repairs before it goes to the next farm
• Farmers are responsible for picking up the drill from the previously contracted farmer which requires a 3/4 ton truck
• Each renter will be asked to estimate their usage time before they rent the drill, and the district reserves the right to set the duration of each rental on a case-by-case basis

RENTAL FEE: $7/Acre

No-till Drill Rental Resources

Other Resources

• NRCS Specification Guide Sheet for Forage and Biomass Planting (512)
• Characteristics of Forage & Pasture Grasses Found in the Northeast U.S. (UVM)
• Characteristics of Forage Legumes Found in the Northeast U.S. (UVM)
• Guidelines for Reseeding Pasture (UMass Extension)
• Renovating Pastures with Interseeding (King’s AgriSeeds)
• Interseeding Legumes versus Applying Nitrogen Fertilizer (University of Wisconsin Extension)
• Frost Seeding: A Cheap Alternative to Improve Hay & Pasture Land (UVM)

Aerway Soil Aerator Tiller

Use the Aerway to reduce compaction while increasing soil health and crop yields by improving water and nutrient filtration.  The aerator can be used on corn, hay, and pasture land. 

Rental Details:

• The Aerator is 20 ft wide and must be pulled with at least a 140 hp tractor
• Farmers are responsible for the transport of the Aerway, which requires a one-ton truck with a pin hitch
• Each farmer will be asked to estimate the acreage they will do and will have the equipment for two-four days (with weather exemptions)
• It is the farmer’s responsibility to maintain the equipment and to address any preventable damage or repairs before it goes to the next farm

Rental Fee: $6/Acre

Portable Truck Scales

OCNRCD has six GEC MD 500 portable truck scales that can be used to determine manure application rates and harvest yields.  Two key components of a nutrient management plan are accurate estimates of the amount and content of the manure you are spreading on your fields, and accurate estimates of your harvest yields.  You can use the scales to weigh your bales, or your manure spreader or harvest truck empty and full.  This can tell you approximately how many tons or gallons of manure you are spreading on your fields, or how many tons of forage or hay you are removing from your fields, allowing you to manage the nutrient cycling on your farm more efficiently and effectively.

Rental Details:

• Each scale weighs 48 lbs, and they come in a 29″ x 29″ x 32″ case that fits all six scales
• Case and each scale can be loaded separately into trunk of large SUV or bed of truck
• For your first rental, OCNRCD staff will bring the scales to you and assist you
• For all rentals after initial use, you will be responsible for transporting the scales

RENTAL FEE: $50/day or by donation

Portable Skidder Bridge

Control sediment pollution associated with timber-harvesting operations. Bridges are stored at the Goodridge Lumber yard in Albany, VT.

RENTAL FEE: $100/month with a security deposit of $100

Soil Probes

Taking regular soil tests every two to three years can help you monitor your soil health and optimize your productivity.  The OCNRCD has three soil probes available to borrow.  You can also purchase from us your own new soil probe!

RENTAL FEE: $50 deposit 

For Purchase: $85

Check out this great resource compiled by the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food, & Markets to see other conservation equipment available around the state!

For more information about our rental equipment, please contact our Agricultural Resources Program Specialist (see side box).