Grant Schultz Farm Hack presentation at MOSES Organic Conference, February 2016, La Crosse, Wisconsin

1. Farm
Hacking
Grant Schultz
www.VersaLand.com
organicgrant@gmail.com

2. #Moses2016
with @VersaLand
#farmhack #versaland

4. What is Hacking?
Using the least amount of force to
achieve the greatest net benefit.
Oftentimes the least expensive
option
Typically considered
‘unconventional’ by society as a
whole.

5. Equipment Hacks
Cutting Edge/Old School - Either Way It’s Not Mainstream
Never Pay Retail
Innovation - Building What Doesn’t Exist
Production Hacks
Systems - Leverage Appropriate & Accessible Technology
Data Hacks
Get Land - The Unconventional Way
Distribution - Pricing - Wholesaling
What IS Farmhacking?

6. farmhack.org

9. Lots of Inspiration

12. Farming for Fun,
Health, and Profit
• Farming is a creative endeavor. Anything
deemed ‘Work’ shall be eliminated.
• Make Time for More: Eating,Athletics,Art,
and Engineering
• Hack: Equipment, Landscapes,Transport,
Marketing

13. EFFECTIVE
EFFICIENT
FUN

14. Ineffective, Inefficient
FUN

15. Effective, efficient, not fun

17. EFFECTIVE, EFFICIENT, FUN

19. Jiffy Hitch

24. $289
$750

25. Jiffy Hitch:
Ridiculously Expensive?

26. Jiffy Hitch Cost Analysis
Standard Quick Hitch
imp change per week 5 5
time (minutes) 15 2
total hours 1.25 0.17
$/hour $25 $25
weekly labor expense $31 $4
Total Annual Hours 65 8.6
Total Annual Cost $1,625 $215
Annual labor savings $1,410.00
Hitch System Price $2,100.00
ROI - GREAT! 67.1%
What if you sell the extra tractors?

27. FarmHack.org Saves The Day

29. Build Your Own
convert whole farm for $400

30. Step-By-Step Instructions

31. Build Your Own
$15-150

32. $15-75/ea

33. Bolt or Pin On and Off
Use On ALL TRACTORS

34. $15-75/ea

35. Farm Hack Hitch Cost Analysis
Standard Quick Hitch
imp change per week 5 5
time (minutes) 15 2
total hours 1.25 0.17
$/hour $25 $25
weekly labor expense $31 $4
Total Annual Hours 65 8.6
Total Annual Cost $1,625 $215
Annual labor savings $1,410.00
Fabbed Hitch $400.00
ROI - SUPER GREAT! 352.5%
You keep another $1,000/year AND
you can sell the extra tractors?

36. All Done.
adds 1.5 weeks to your year

37. Jiffy Hitch Cost Analysis
Standard Quick Hitch
imp change per week 5 5
time (minutes) 15 2
total hours 1.25 0.17
$/hour $25 $25
weekly labor expense $31 $4
Total Annual Hours 65 8.6
Total Annual Cost $1,625 $215
Annual labor savings $1,410.00
Hitch System Price $2,100.00
ROI - GREAT! 67.1%
What if you sell the extra tractors?

38. Farm Hack Hitch Cost Analysis
Standard Quick Hitch
imp change per week 5 5
time (minutes) 15 2
total hours 1.25 0.17
$/hour $25 $25
weekly labor expense $31 $4
Total Annual Hours 65 8.6
Total Annual Cost $1,625 $215
Annual labor savings $1,410.00
Fabbed Hitch $400.00
ROI - SUPER GREAT! 352.5%
You keep another $1,000/year AND
you can sell the extra tractors?

39. Get Plans RIGHT NOW:
versaland.com/farmhack

40. Get Plans RIGHT NOW:
versaland.com/farmhack

41. Hacking Urban Ag
• Hoorays
• Distance-to-Market
• Technology Access
• Utility/Infrastructure
Access
• Urban Lot Database
• Media
• Challenges
• Scale
• Security
• Housing
• Equipment
accessibility

42. DIY Greenhouse Monitors

43. Receive Text Alerts

46. Anatomy of a Farmhack
Code Data Accessibility+ =

47. data crunching
Beacon/County Assessor Website
Absentee Landlords
WHOIS Lookup
(meeting strangers on the internet)

48. THE AMERICAN SCHOOL BUS
FARMING’S MOST VERSATILE TOOL HTTP://MIDWESTTRANSIT.COM
HOME STORECOOP
HARVESTPICKUP TRAVEL

50. • Livestock Transport
• Mobile Farmers Market
• Weatherproof Mobile
Shop
• Melon/Pumpkin Harvest
• Poultry Coop
• Heavy Hauler
Do-Anything Bus
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=JDuZyyjqjMI

51. Hacked Labor = Happy Labor
25lbs/hour $10/hr+ $$$$+???

52. Hacking PAYS!
Hand Machine
lbs to crack 2,000 2,000
lbs/hr 25 500
total hours 80 4
$/hour $15 $25
annual labor expense $1,200 $100
Annual labor savings 1100
Machine construction cost 3000
ROI 36.7%
What if done in a co-op model?

53. Anatomy of a Farmhack
Parts Fabrication Automation+ =

55. Straw Blower
Manual Mechanized
Man hours 300 50
$/hr 15 25
Annual 4500 1250
Savings/Year $3,250
Cost New $7,500
ROI 43.33%
Jang Planter
Manual Mechanized
Man hours 40 10
$/hr 15 15
Annual 600 150
Savings/Year $450
Cost New $400
ROI 112.50%
USE METRICS FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO!

56. Farm Hack: Midwest
@ Versaland
Iowa City, IA
Sunday, July 17th 2016
Farm Hack Tools Show & Shine
versaland.com/farmhack

57. Farm Hack: Midwest
at Versaland
Iowa City, IA
Sunday, July 17th 2016
Farm Hack Tools Show & Shine
versaland.com/farmhack

59. Grow Agroecologically
Farmscale Permaculture Course
5 Days - Sept 28 - October 4th, 2016
www.Versaland.com

60. NewFarmSupply.com
100 Chestnut Trees
for
$297

61. NewFarmSupply.com
Facebook: facebook.com/Versaland
Twitter: @VersaLand
Instagram: grantschultz
Web: versaland.com
Email: organicgrant@gmail.com
#maxpermo
VersaLand.com