Actually it takes a horse and a person. I've seen several being used, just not painted so nicely.

we used an old horse drawn potato shovel which was kinda similar, behind a small tractor a few times. They work pretty good.

Thank you for the information, I thought it looked very professional, but I went along with the story. I have searched for more information online, but I found very little.

Doesn't sound like it is worth big bucks, so I will still keep it!

Jay

Working they are rare around here, most are rusty at the best. It was the best digger for a small plot. Since I'm so close with the Amish community, I see lots of equipment from 'olden times'. Plus I'm old enough to remember seeing these types of tools in the back of the sheds.

Since you have a tractor, you can use it with the tractor going very very slow, with another adult guiding it. You have to be able to get it deep enough to 'pop' those taters. Then the girls (lil man will have to wait a couple of years) can pick the taters up off the ground.

It looks like a fine piece of art to me. Might even help that sore back of mine.

Looks to me like it'd be easier just to dig the potatoes.

I tell you what, Vikki - come on over and I'll even lend you my good spading fork. I hate digging taters. I have seen several videos of similar style units being used - most of them use a shaker - and seem to work pretty well. Most of the vids are from Eastern Europe so I have no idea what they are saying.

Tom

Here is a link that might be useful: Potato digger/shaker

Here is the one I would like to build (somewhere on the list between my elbow and shoulder). Does not look too complicated and works well. I think the hardest thing would be finding something to use as the chain.

Tom

Here is a link that might be useful: Potato chain digger

I guess when you use a digger you gotta make sure not to hill up too much.

If I planned on planting my taters on the edge of my garden space I could have the neighbor farmer dig for me with the giant tractors they have. Maybe I will put it like that next year. Then after they are dug just dig a hole and pile them in for storage.

A friend of mine uses a middle buster and then just picks the taters up. He can get really deep if need be.

You know the big commercial potato diggers, would they handle sweet potatoes too? I was thinking of moving my taters to the one edge of my garden and the sweets are already at the top edge and then I could have the neighbor potato farmer dig it all for me in mid September. I had planned on winter squash on the one side and sweets on top but they told me specifically they will have taters next to me this season and I thought I could ask them to dig for me. The problem is they might harvest well before I want to dig sweets.