Modular Agricultural Apparatus and Methods of Using the Same
OwnerTimothy Gulottainventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Modular agricultural apparatus for management and maintenance of cover crops and cash crops aid in side-by-side banded or zonal farming. For example, the present invention relates to apparatus for seeding crops and/or suppressing or terminating cover crops while offering option to manage cash crops. Specifically, the agricultural apparatus comprises a plurality of sections, each having a tool for either seeding crops or terminating cover crops in a band configuration. Therefore, management of cash crops and cover crops may be more easily maintained and managed. Methods of using the same to manage and maintain cash crops while seeding and/or terminating cover crops are further provided.
Claims20
An agricultural apparatus used for managing both a cover crop and a cash crop at the same time comprises:
- a frame running perpendicular to a direction of travel of a tow vehicle, wherein the frame is configured to be attached to the tow vehicle when in use, the frame further comprising a main tool frame, and a set of parallel arms extending from the main tool frame, and a first assembly attached between the parallel arms, the first assembly comprising a plurality of tool connection locations;
- a first agricultural tool mounted to the frame at a first tool connection location, the first agricultural tool configured to manage a cover crop row in a field;
- and
- a second agricultural tool mounted to the frame at a second tool connection location, the second agricultural tool configured to manage a cash crop row in the field, wherein the cash crop row is adjacent the cover crop row.
An agricultural apparatus used for managing both a cover crop and a cash crop comprising:
- a frame running perpendicular to a direction of travel of a tow vehicle, wherein the frame is configured to be attached to the tow vehicle when in use, the frame further comprising a first agricultural tool comprising a series of double disc openers removably connected to a frame, wherein the first agricultural tool is configured to be removed and replaced with a second agricultural tool.
A method of using lightweight machines to tend to crops in an agricultural field, the method comprising the steps of:
- planting at least one cover crop in a plurality of cover crop rows;
- planting at least one cash crop in a plurality of cash crop rows;
- terminating the cover crop by crimping the cover crop with a roller crimper while simultaneously leaving the cash crop untouched;
- and
- tending the cash crop with at least one lightweight machine, wherein the lightweight machine uses the crimped cover crop in the cover crop rows as pathways for traveling thereover.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.