With contract operators heavily booked after a busy year in 2011, many farmers are taking on the job themselves – and saving money in the process
by DON STONEMAN and ROBERT IRWIN
The Fournies, Joe Sr., his wife Karen, and Joe Jr., work as a team when they install tile drains on their heavy clay farms.
Karen Fournie drives the 150 h.p. 7120 Magnum front-wheel-assist with duals all around. It pulls a “Persall mini-tile plow” for installing the four- inch drains. Joe Sr. digs the starter holes with a backhoe, while Joe Jr. runs the tile cart and makes “the taps” (connections) into the mains.