Efficient Harvesting: Design + Tools to Minimise Your Waste

Harvesting is the heart of any market garden, where efficiency directly impacts the bottom line. One tool that has dramatically improved the harvesting process is the Quick Cut Greens Harvester. This concept was conceived by the godfather of market gardening, Elliot Coleman, of Four Season Farm in Maine. Known for transforming the French intensive market garden method, Elliot is also the author and inventor of many other tools, such as the Tilther and the 6-Row Seeder.

In a conversation I had with Elliot in 2018, he mentioned that if he had started a tool business, he wouldn’t have been able to farm. Many of his tool designs were taken on by others, with Elliot’s input, including the Greens Harvester. The development of this tool was spearheaded by Jonathon Dysinger of Farmers Friend in Tennessee, and it has revolutionized small-scale salad production.

At Roebuck Farm, we run two harvesters—one for field salad and the other for microgreens. We’ve made a small yet impactful modification by removing the wire brace that keeps the drill locked in place. This adjustment allows the drill to pivot freely, making the harvesting process more physically ergonomic. Not only does this reduce strain on the back, but it also speeds up the process, which involves many repetitions of cutting and emptying.

This week we focus on the ergonomics of using the Greens Harvester while maintaining a straight back. The video demonstrates how to optimize your posture and efficiency during the harvest. We can harvest 10 kg from 10 m² in just 6.5 minutes—a testament to the power of design and practice.

The images and videos featured in this week’s content showcase our current farm trainee, Bene from Germany, who is doing an excellent job of practicing this technique. His dedication is evident in every cut and empty, ensuring that we not only maintain efficiency but also reduce waste in the process.