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Business Grows For Food Plot Planters
Retired farmer Terry Jacob stumbled on a great sideline business when he started making food plot planters by cutting up older planters. His first units were a result of planter units left over when he salvaged a 60-ft. planter toolbar to make his portable sheepsfoot packer (Vol. 40, No. 5).
    “A friend suggested making planters for wildlife food plots with the leftover planter units,” says Jacob. “I sold a 1-row for $850 and a 2-row for $1,250.”
    Since then he has continued selling food plot planters using planter units from 185 and 295 IH planters. He likes the relative simplicity of these planters from the 1960’s and 1970’s.
    “The people I’m selling to aren’t familiar with planters,” he says. “They need a durable unit that is simple to operate.”
    Jacob gets his planters from auctions across a 3-state area. If needed, they get repainted.
    “I’ve torn them down and refurbished them, painted them and reassembledthem,” says Jacob. “The market is pretty hot around Kansas City with deer hunters putting out food plots and small farmers who plant for market. Some buyers are people who have a big garden.”
    Depending on the end use, Jacob supplies the plates needed. He will also customize to the buyer’s request. He has made 4-row planters, which sell or $2,000 or more. The big difference is a larger tool bar and gauge wheels.
    “I use a 2 1/4-in. diamond bar, which was used on those planters,” says Jacob. “Most go on Cat. I or II 3-pts. If I don’t have enough, I have a neighbor who fabricates Cat. I hitches.”
    Jacob says he is always in the market for more raw materials. Of course, not every part on a planter gets used in those he sells.
    “If you’re looking for parts for these planters, I have them, as well as seed plates, the little springs and all the parts found in seed cups,” says Jacob. “I’ve taken them apart and cleaned them up.”
    Jacob notes that there are others making food plot planters out of Deere planter units. “I don’t see many IH planters,” he says. “I’ve sold them from Kansas to Illinois and had inquiries from North Carolina to Louisiana.”
    Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Terry Jacob, 9317 S.W. 72nd, Sedgwick, Kan. 67135 (ph 316 393-7731; ruth1110@kanokla.net)


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2017 - Volume #41, Issue #1