A Specialized Harvest Cart for Greens:
Stooping or kneeling and crawling
to harvest salad greens requires a
lot of time and energy. Lifting and
moving your harvest container many
times as you fill it adds to the work load.
An alternative is to build a simple cart,
which allows you to sit and roll while you
harvest. This is less tiring for the knees,
back, hamstrings, and torso. The cart
also holds your harvest container, so it
rolls along with you.
How Does It Work?
The cart straddles the crop bed or rows,
so that the wheels are on the paths
between the beds. A seat is mounted low to the
ground, between the rear wheels, allowing you to
work directly over the bed without stooping. The
seat swivels so you can harvest all parts of the
bed without twisting your body. A sternum pad
supports your torso so you can lean forward and
ease strain on your lower back. Move the cart forward
by pushing the rear wheels with your hands,
wheelchair fashion, or scoot along with your feet
on the ground. Prop your harvest container on
the front corner of the cart frame, within easy
reach. The front wheel swivels for easy steering.
Harvest Cart
Benefits of Using a Harvest Cart
Less fatigue and discomfort. Prolonged kneeling
to harvest, transplant, or weed puts small scale
growers in one of the highest risk groups
for occupational injuries. Harvesting from a seated
position eliminates knee strain and is less tiring
for the back, hamstrings, and torso. Kneeling
requires at least 25% more energy and stooping
requires at least 45% more energy than sitting
does.
Harvest Speed and
Posture Analysis |
Without Cart |
With Cart |
Avg. harvest speed
(mins/3lb crate) |
7.8 |
4.6 |
% time spent in
unacceptable postures |
46 |
0 |
% time spent in
marginal postures |
48 |
93 |
% time spent in
acceptable postures |
6 |
7 |
This data is based on a case study with the same
worker performing the same task. Postural analysis
was compiled using the Ovaco Work Analysis System.
Faster. Using the cart lets you harvest the same
amount of greens 40% more quickly. Faster har-
Tip Sheet A Specialized Harvest Cart for Greens
15 vesting and quicker time to the cooler maintains
high crop quality.
Less soil compaction. Instead of kneeling or
walking in the crop row or bed, the cart supports
your weight. Your weight, plus the weight of the
cart, is transferred through the wheels to the
paths between the crops.
Improves profits. Cutting harvest time can save
labor costs. A typical scenario might be that your
labor costs are $7.00 per hour, and you harvest
four days a week. If you save 30 minutes per harvest
day by using the cart, in 11-18 weeks the
cart will have paid for itself. If the harvest cart
prevents back or knee pain, you might also save
money on medical bills.
Where Can I Get a Specialized
Harvest Cart?
These carts, designed by Bob Meyer and Hal
Bohne of the University of Wisconsin Agricultural
Engineering Lab, are not available in stores or
catalogs. We can provide plans for you to make
your own cart from readily available materials.
Some welding is required,
which can easily be done
by your local welder.
Locate a welding shop in
the phone book under
welding-custom fabrication.
Buy the
parts at a hardware store or from a tool and equipment
catalog such as: Northern Hydraulic, P.O. Box
1499, Burnsville, MN 55337. 800-533-5545. (This
reference is provided as a convenience for our
readers. It is not an endorsement by the
University of Wisconsin.)
How Much Will it Cost?
The parts for this cart cost about $150. Labor
costs, custom welding, or welding shop rental
times will vary.
Steel: (1 1/4” square tubing, 1/8” wall
thickness. 3/32” flat stock for gussets
and supports) |
$ 15 |
Seat: (small tractor replacement) |
$ 28 |
Rear Wheels: (26” pneumatic) |
$ 28/ea. |
Front Wheel: (10” swivel caster) |
$ 36 |
Swivel: (boat seat) |
$ 15 |
Total |
$150 |
Cart width should be 6"-12" wider than beds so
that wheels will roll in the paths. Overall cart
length is 42 1/2".
Contact Information:
This material was developed by the Healthy
Farmers, Healthy Profits Project, whose goal is to
find and share work efficiency tips that maintain
farmers' health and safety and also increase profits.
For more information, visit our web site at
http://bse.wisc.edu/hfhp/ or call 608-265-9451.
Healthy Farmers, Healthy Profits Project,
Department of Biological Systems Engineering,
College of Agricultural and Life Sciences,
University of Wisconsin, 460 Henry Hall,
Madison, WI 53706.
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