IH potato digger

[Anonymous-0]

I"m looking for an old IH potato digger to use on my farm. Does anyone know where I can find one? Or does anyone have an apron or a front tapered roller for a #10 which I have already.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you.

 

[ShepFL]

Best of luck my friend. I have been on the hunt for a potatoe digger for some time. I still used cultvators on Farmall 140 then 5 gallon buckets to hand pick them. Fortunately for me it is less than 1 acre of spuds - home consumption.

 

[JDemaris]

There are several around in my area here in central New York (if they didn't get scapped this winter). The IH diggers are ground-driven, but there are also a few Deere PTO driven ones around locally. I was going to buy the IH just for the chain, but guy wanted $250 for it and I didn't buy. I found a guy down south that makes and sells new digger chains for any make.

I've got an IH ground-driven digger and an Iron Age two-row planter. I've wanted to convert my IH to PTO drive - but it's a project that will probably never get done.
I needed parts last year for the Iron Age planter and found out the McConnel makes them new with many of the same parts. They had everything I needed for it.
There's been a lot of more modern potato equipment for sale latey in New York and New England - seems a lot of potato farms are going out of business.

 

[john in la]

Greg;
Not to steal this thread...........
But tell us how you store your home consumption potatoes threw the year.

I am only planting 10 lbs this year but have not had great success in storing the crop.
If like me you should be planting potatoes this week. Correct??????

 

[Paul from MI]

I framed and insulated a corner of the basement with an outside window. 3-1/2" of fiberglas with 1" styrofoam inside. Rest of basement is heated, but corner stays cool enough to keep potatoes, squash, etc. well. Potatoes stay all year, I usually only buy seed every three or four years.
Paul

 

[ShepFL]

Howdy John -

Yup, I will be planting next week for harvest in late March early April. Can't plant this weekend as I have BSA Woodbadge and will not be around.

As you know extended storage is a problem here in the Deep South. I grow Yukon Golds and Red LaSoda primarily. This yr. I am going to play with some All Blues.

I prefer to let the plants die off naturally and then harvest them as they tend to store better. If it looks like a wet yr. I mow down the tops and then dig them up about a week later.

After we pick them out of the field (bucket brigade) we store them in an old corn crib to air dry for about 2 wks. This old corn crib is shaded and in March/April the temps are around 60-65° F.

DO NOT WASH THEM! For me this is quickest way to start them rotting and lose most of your crop not mention that nasty smell! Just knock off the dirt and let them sit to allow cuts, nicks etc. to scab over and bruises to heal.

At some time I want to build a long term storage location but right now we just eat them fresh as long as we can. We can up most them in quart jars using pressure canner. They keep well this way in the pantry.

The problem with long term storage down here is that you need to keep temps around around 38-40° F. with high humidity and and ventilation. Your talking lots of electricity vs. gas burner and pressure cooker.

FWIW that is what I do - repeat each yr.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Do you have the contact information of those companies that make the aprons and parts for thse older machines?

Otherwise do you know anyone who has an old digger that is still operable? Make doesn't matter.

Thanks

 

[El Toro]

When I grew 5 or 6 100 foot rows of potatoes I used an old freezer or refrigerator buried in the ground to store my potatoes. I would just leave
the lid stick out. Never had a problem with them
freezing. My basement is too warm. They didn't sprout when buried either. Hal

 

[El Toro]

When I grew 5 or 6 100 foot rows of potatoes I used an old freezer or refrigerator buried in the ground to store my potatoes. I would just leave
the lid stick out. Never had a problem with them
freezing. My basement is too warm. They didn't sprout when buried either. Hal

 

[El Toro]

When I grew 5 or 6 100 foot rows of potatoes I used an old freezer or refrigerator buried in the ground to store my potatoes. I would just leave
the lid stick out. Never had a problem with them
freezing. My basement is too warm. They didn't sprout when buried either. Hal

 

[El Toro]

Here's the that Oliver digger that was sold. I will call that company today, but I doubt if they have parts for the IH10 or an old IH10 for parts. You local metal shop may be able to make a new apron. Hal