Ultimate automation

[Odsox]

Shame it's a bit too late for including on your Christmas pressie list .. https://farmbot.io/
Not sure about this. My engineering/R&D past life would love to replicate this, but my dropout born again hippy present life thinks it's maybe a step too far.
It's a good job the kit costs nearly $3,500

[Green Aura]

Nicely nerdy and could be quite useful on a much bigger area but I think you could sort out planting etc on a bed that big without resorting to a computer. I had to watch it with the sound off - is it $3.5k for that small one?

[diggernotdreamer]

Je Suis Farm Bot

[ina]

Weeeellllll - if I had that kind of money to spare - I think I'd spend it on something different! A pair of decent boots, for example. The soles on mine are now so broken, they are making flapping noises when I'm walking...

[Odsox]

Je Suis Farm Bot

Mois aussi.

Maggie, that price is for the bed in the video, which they reckon will produce enough food for 2 people. I think I really ought to get one as it takes 2 polytunnels, 2 greenhouses and 2 outdoor veg gardens to produce enough veg for us two, so I must be doing something terribly wrong.

You could get a lot of boots for 3.5 grand, Ina.

[ina]

You could get a lot of boots for 3.5 grand, Ina.

Yes - a lifetime supply! And decent quality, too.

(Do you know the Sam Vimes boot theory of inequality - i.e. why the rich stay rich, and the poor poor?)

[littlemissrose]

Hmmm good point. Why give that sort of money on a machine. I would happily produce enough for two people for a year for that money. So I say give that money to poor people like me instead of rich like them hehehe.

[John Headstrong]

It is a nice project, it has moved along a lot since I first saw it. I was also of the 'too much tech' frame of mind but since then I have been help manage a gardening project with 2 very large pollytunnels. http://polbethandwestcaldergarden.weebly.com/index.html

This kit would be lovely in one of the pollytunnels, I could build it so that we could control it from here !!
so we could login do the forum housework then weed and water a real garden via farmbot.

[Odsox]

This kit would be lovely in one of the pollytunnels, I could build it so that we could control it from here !!
so we could login do the forum housework then weed and water a real garden via farmbot.

Oh for goodness sake, I had almost forgotten about this and now you've stuck it in my brain again

I agree it would be very useful in a tunnel, and what's more would be a fascinating project to build from scratch. But hopefully I will forget again as I have far too many other little jobs to do. One of which is to get my head around how bluetooth works as I plan to build an "Internet of things" type system with basic temperature, humidity and soil moisture sensors in my 2 tunnels and 3 greenhouses available to read anywhere on my home network.

[Green Aura]

Isn't that what your finger's for?

[Weedo]

Takes most of the human element (the fun bit) away. Personally, I only use the technology I need to get things done, not the technology I am told I want. At least three major tractor companies have driverless tractors in the field now (they don't even have a driver cab) - they are pulling satellite guided, computer controlled precision equipment that do exactly what this toy does but on much larger scales; they even take themselves back to the shed for re-fueling and servicing. The big irrigators to the Nth & West of me now use computer controlled systems hooked up to soil moisture sensors and "green seeker" technology watching plant health (on crops planted by robotic tractors pulling computer operated precision seeders) - all operated by one desk jockey. Graziers are now field testing "smart collars" on cattle; these are collars that send impulses to the animal if it comes close to the virtual fence. They are being used to monitor and control where the animal grazes, when it grazes and what it grazes on. Our major meat processors will now take the animal, subject it to an automated 3D scaning and X-ray process, the computer can then work out its exact structure, yield and quality thus allowing the robotic abattoir to process the carcass in the most profitable manner (this is already the norm for chickens, becoming common for sheep and now shifting to cattle)

Talk about losing control of our food production!!!!!!!

[bonniethomas06]

If Farmbot did it all, what would I do for a hobby? It's all a bit Terminator for me. Don't much like the sound of the robot abbatoir either - what happened to compassion? Sad and very sinister.

Although perhaps we are kidding ourselves - this thread reminds me of Edwardian Farm when the tractor salesman came round and tried to convince them to ditch the horse - they thought it would never catch on....

[Green Aura]

I did enjoy all those series. I'd love to have a bash - as long as I could come back to my mod cons.

[Weedo]

Last one standing unfortunately - no automation could create this, the timber craftsmanship and black-smithing are amazing! Not just the work but the time skill and brain power needed. This has linked 4 wheel brakes, adjustable chassis tension, a gear reduction front turntable and built in wheel jacks.

sadly, too far gone and expensive to restore and too fragile to move

[bonniethomas06]

Me too GA, in fact I have been binge watching the whole set starting from 'Tales From the Green Valley' this winter. Even my computer nerd of a husband has been enjoying them. All things considered, I would definitely rather live on an Edwardian Farm than living the ratrace in today's messed up world. Provided medical science came with me, of course.