Idea

Congratulations! The concept for this site is long over do. I've worked on the development of the new approaches to grass fed since it's start. Before one thinks about tools they must be sure their overall approach to what their trying to do is sound. No matter how many tools inorganic/chemical based agriculture have created it was the mere approach from the start that have brought on so many shortcomings. Before one thinks about a new plow design they must first realize the impact of a plow in general. The most important tool to farming is the life in the soil.

I think that tools should be listed by default from most complete to least complete - or from commercial product, to DIY, on down to concept. This will highlight the most complete projects first, and also provide an incentive to move the other products at the back of the list up towards the front. It is also becoming clear to me that a sort or search function is going to become very important very quickly.

As I am starting to go through tool entries and I have questions about the entry, I think that some of them might best go to a private e-mail, and some are better to post the the associated forum. I think that adding a more social aspect to the tool wiki interface would really help improve the content. It would be nice to be able to see who was the last editor without going into the revision history, and then be able to directly contact the last poster to that wiki.

I think it would be a good idea to add a new topic to document the best practices for posts including things like:

Meaningful titles

Posting to proper forums

linking to existing content on the forum etc....

__ This conversation inspired the new Tool called "Tool wiki template". For the most current template and conversation check it out -> http://www.farmhack.org/tools/tool-wiki-template __

Until we have several tools fully documented, I think it would be good to do a mock-tool that shows what a fully documented tool wiki would look like. I think that we should provide a complete example at the top of the page and make it stand out until we have a few more completed tools.

I think that when tools are posted to the wiki, the original poster should sponsor them - and give some context in the forum. A culture of posting to the forum before posting a new tool would enable evaluation of stage of project, category and areas where documentation will be needed, and it would be really good I think to have tools posted be rooted in the real world by someone who has actually built and or used, or will use a tool rather than just cool ideas. Others thoughts?

When adding files to a tool wiki, it would be nice to be able to select several files at a time to upload. I am currently working on the oat dehuller and there are over twenty files that each have to be selected individually.

I was just looking at the multipurpose cultivator ("annies all in one") tool entry and it seemed that when there are multipurpose tools that instead of choosing one option, it might be more accurate to check all that apply. Say, soil prep and harvest etc. We have the current option of "universal infrastructure/farm shop" but I think of that as more about tractors, shop tools, buildings etc. I think it probably works OK the way it is, but something to look at.

FarmHack RISD – Meta Notes The Need Develop a template Communicate the design process Tools exist at an industrial scale Scale them down Less power/ capital intensive These aren’t new ideas Find the market Network of farmers Fab lab – nuture business Demand Root washer - $50 materials + $20/hr*50 hrs Instructibles.com Open source is about reputation, not monetary compensation Framework for designing and producing cheap, scale appropriate, local tools Accessibility – open source design Inspiring precedent – amish/Mennonite, local motors, instructibles.com, bio-gas Industrial manufacturing do

Identified Need - lower cost adjustable tine weeder tines

I was just reading Ben's post about building a belly mounted tine weeder for an Alis G, and looking at the economics of the tines from Lely or Kovar. I wonder if we might use the power of Farm Hack to develop a tine bending tool, so that we could get the cost per tine down to something well under the $15+ for the lely? This would also enable some customization and replacement when new ones are needed, or enable farms to try longer or shorter, stiffer, or softer tines based on their application.