Hi @taylor, @Twerpoid_M, @WillStewart,
Whilst I’m very strongly in favour of no tillage, it may be wrong to assume other critical natural organic, regenerative permaculture style farming functions don’t take large amounts of energy. ‘No-till’ alone, is not regenerative enough in most farm cases.
Especially if we want to feed a few families, have high nutrient surplus and provide valuable community engagement/employment, to the scale needed to replace industrial destructive farming. I’ve listed a few implements …see: Requirements Backlog.
Thanks @Twerpoid_M in rating 800W to 1HP, meaning a small compact 30 to 40HP tractor needed for most basic implements is: 24kW to 32kW.
Some v.light tillage is often necessary. Light ripping (not plouging), on contour for oxygenation, water spreading/soakage, drought proofing, fire resistance, decompaction, deeper root penetration, cover crop seeding…
Crucial Spraying of foliar and ground sprays. Neem, or other organic fertilisers/foods based on beneficial soil life profile. A weight of 530kg to 1100kg liquid tank payload plus 300kg sprayer implement is a 830kg to 1,400kg towing capacity and PTO energy and hydraulics power, required to run it.
Critical Mulching using a Flail Mower/mulcher, (or brush-hog/slasher), for sequential/rotational cropping, grazing and cover cropping. A weight of 300kg towing capacity and PTO energy and hydraulics power, required to run it.
Simple Spreader for seeds, soil ammendments, etc for compost, activated biochar, ag lime, muck, etc. A weight of approx 250kg+ tank hopper storage plus 200kg for the implement, so towing capacity of 450kg, and PTO energy and hydraulics power, required to run it.
If that helps give an idea of payload and towing capacity, we may need to yet do the calculations for PTO and hydraulics power requirements. But assume 24kW to 32kW. My 30HP struggles badly and I was thinking of getting a 40HP for smoother continuous and shorter runtimes without having to redo sections because it didn’t mulch properly.
Cheers,
Raj