For some, this new generation of old-school ag tools has proven incredibly helpful, enabling folks to mechanize labor previously done by hand.
Paperpot transplanters aren’t just about saving small-scale producers time and money, according to company co-founder Diego Footer. The tool also saves farmers from what might otherwise be backbreaking labor. “You’re taking an operation that you do on your hands and knees or bent over at the waist, and you’re making that operation something you can do standing up,” he says, “You can go from being in an awkward body position for many hours a week, and instead just walk. That’s much better ergonomics.”
As its name implies, the Paperpot system (which Paperpot Co. began importing from Japan in 2017) works by transplanting vegetables, herbs and flowers that have been planted in paper pots. These biodegradable containers are linked in a chain, so as a farmer walks the tool across the field, the pots feed themselves into the ground.
With the system, transplanting a bed of lettuce that might take an hour by hand takes just 15 minutes. Not only does this free up time for other work, it puts less stress on the seedlings, resulting in a higher rate of survival. At Paperpot’s website ( paperpot.co), the basic transplanter runs $949 plus accessories.
The company also imports Jang Speed Seeders, which start at $440. Diego says that what sets Jang apart from similar tools is their precision. “The Jang seeder utilizes gear wheels that you swap out to control how far apart the seeds are planted. Then you just push it down the row, and it drops those seeds at that spacing.” In the end, how much acreage a person has and what she grows will help determine which types of farm equipment to buy. These little guys may not be suitable for large-scale agriculture, but for farmers starting small or preparing to scale down, the low-tech route might just be the ticket.