3-Pt. Sicklebar Cuts Off Weeds Above Bean Crop

3-Pt. Sicklebar Cuts Off Weeds Above Bean Crop MOWERS Mowers (31H) 24-3-10 An 18-ft. wide sicklebar mounted on a tractor 3-pt. hitch works great to cut off tall-growing weeds above edible bean crops two to three weeks before harvest. "Weeds are bad news in edible beans because the green stuff smears beans and discolors them, which leads to dockage by the canning companies," says Robert Davis, Savannah, N.Y. "By cutting off the top of the weeds above the beans, less weed fodder gets into the combine," says Davis. "I use the sicklebar because I often can't spray again before harvest and because I don't want to spend more money on herbicides. Pigweeds are a particular problem because a lot of herbicides that we can use don't kill pigweeds very well. I run the sicklebar about 3 ft. off the ground. I use a 9-row, 20-in. skip row planting system which works great for entering fields late in the season." Davis bought a used sicklebar and knives for $250. The knives are driven back and forth by a Gandy orbit motor connected to a combine sieve eccentric arm and the tie rod end off a Deere 4020 tractor. He already had an A-shaped steel frame that's used to support the sicklebar. The A-frame mounts on the tractor 3-pt. He says his total cost was about $300. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Robert Davis, 2030 Bixby-Wood Road, Savannah, N.Y. 13146 (ph 315 365-2266).

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