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Grape grower fashions compost turner from truck axle, well casing
California farmer Paul Bernier is a man of many skills, allowing him to make an effective tractor-mounted compost turner from old truck parts.
A WOOF volunteer on the farm, a videographer by training, combined action footage and still photos of Bermier’s compost yard, where 12-foot by 120-yard-long piles of decomposing grape pomace (solids left from squeezing out the juice) reach temperatures of 160 F between turnings. Bernier built the unit for use on a 70-HP tractor from a rear truck axle and a length of 16-inch well casing. It’s mounted on a Cat. 2 rear three-point hitch.
The compost produced returns essential nutrients to the vineyard to create new vines, canes, leaves and grapes.
