If you check some of the top farming sites, you will notice that most talk about properly utilizing farming tools. Unfortunately, it is much less common for websites to talk about storage. In my opinion, this is quite ludicrous as damage to your tools and equipment can be very costly, nullifying all the positive things you’ve done during the year.
Even if we’re talking about simple iron tools, they can be affected by snow and rain, making them rust faster. If a tool has mechanical or electrical parts, the effects of improper storage are much more noticeable; some people are forced to throw away items they’ve paid thousands of dollars for just because they left them out in the open.
Here are six tips for storing and maintaining your farming tools.
1. Create a separate area for storing these tools
Ideally, you should have a dedicated area for storing all your farming tools and equipment. Of course, you can keep them with other household items, but this makes things a bit harder when you eventually want to use them as you would have to scour through a pile of stuff.
Remember that you don’t need a whole shed or garage to store this equipment. For example, you can simply install a few garage storage racks and keep everything there. As long as the tools are placed in a room that isn’t particularly humid, you shouldn’t have any problems.
2. Put emphasis on cleaning
The best way for equipment and tools to go to waste is if you completely neglect them. Keep in mind that just about anything can harm your farm tools. Some people think that plant material is entirely harmless to tillers, seeders, ballers, and other tools, but this cannot be farther from the truth. All this hay and grain can attract rodents and insects that will start damaging the circuitry.
My advice is to get a pressure washer. It can completely remove plant material that is stuck in hard-to-reach places. Sometimes, people don’t even realize that their tools are dirty because they don’t see the things on them.
Another thing you need to be mindful of is avoiding contact with seals. Once you’re done with washing, you should turn to compressed air equipment. They will remove excess moisture from sensitive systems.
3. Regular maintenance
Depending on the equipment, you might need to perform regular maintenance. And while some people perceive this as an unnecessary hassle, this small difference in approach can significantly increase the life expectancy of a product.
Maintenance can pertain to all sorts of things from an oil change to replacing filters, checking a motor’s antifreeze, lubricating various cogs and joints, inflating tires, checking circuitry, or simply turning on the machine every once in a while.
Out of all these minor procedures, perhaps it is most important to check the levels of various fluids and fuel. It would help if you also ensured that water from nearby systems could not enter the fuel tank.
4. Repairing damage as soon as it appears
Whether we’re talking about tractors or smaller machinery, you must fix the damage as soon as you notice it. If you don’t address an issue, there is a chance that damage will extend itself, affecting other systems. For example, if a particular part of a machine is affected by rust, you need to remove it so it doesn’t spread around.
5. Consult retailer
One of the most common mistakes is trying to repair equipment but not having the necessary skill set to do so. People try to cut corners due to laziness or because they don’t want to spend money on professionals. As a result, they might cause even more extensive damage to a particular system or tool.
Although you can repair specific equipment by yourself, it is imperative to contact the official retailer beforehand. Even if you have experience with similar machines, there is a chance this one works under a slightly different principle. The only way to tell is by asking the people who built it.
6. Storing your batteries
Each piece of equipment needs to be appropriately stored to maximize its life expectancy. This is especially true for batteries. They can start leaking and showing other signs of deterioration if you don’t keep them in a separate space. When the harvest is over, make sure to disconnect and remove all the batteries. Also, clean all the parts that are susceptible to corrosion.
