Equipment Library

Roaring Fork Valley Equipment Library Registration

The Roaring Fork Valley Equipment Library, funded by Pitkin County Open Space, The Farm Collaborative and its members, is a program that gives access to a collection of equipment specially selected to help small farmers succeed. The ever-expanding collection of equipment is available for a small fee to members after they have proven their compliance with the requirements listed below and have paid their dues. The Farm Collaborative is the administrator of the program.

BASIC

Membership

$50/year

Unlimited rental of tools
for the rental price
listed below.

PREMIER

Membership

$500/year

Unlimited access to tools free of rental costs, but a user may not hold more than one rental item at any time.

Details of Program

  • Tools and rentals will be managed by The Farm Collaborative and the cooperative efforts of the members.
  • Tools are rented for 24 or 72 hour periods.
  • Membership needs to be renewed each calendar year regardless of date of enrollment. (Enrollment ends Dec 31)
  • An individual may only reserve 2 consecutive periods( 6 days). If at the end of the second period there is no competing reservation for the tool it may be reserved for one period at a time until a competing reservation is placed at which point the non-consecutive reservation will have priority.
  • Failure to return tools or misuse of the honor system that this program relies on may compromise your membership and ability to re apply for membership.
  • Tools may only be used by the member or insured employees of their listed farm.
  • This program relies on the respect of its members. Proper use of tools and proper care while using them is the obligation of the lessee and the lessee will be held responsible for improper tool usage resulting in tool damage, property damage, injury, or death.

Who can Become a Member?

  • Members must be directly affiliated with a food production business.
  • Members must have farm insurance or other insurance that covers leased tools and equipment and The Farm Collaborative must be additionally insured in that policy. A copy of this clause must be included with the contract. Fully insuring rental equipment and those using it is not financially achievable for the Tool Library. Equipment will be insured and the user will be protected if The Tool Library Organization is directly at fault in an accident.
  • Members must complete a tool specific training if they are not experienced in operating a given tool.

What tools are available and what is the cost?

Annual Fee for Basic Membership: $50 / year
Rental cost for basic membership:

BCS 749 Walk Behind Tractor

  • $50 for 24 hours
  • $100 for 72 hours

    Implements:
  • Flail Mower
  • Tiller
  • Power Harrow
  • Root digger Plow
  • Rotary Plow

Tractor Implements and other

  • $100 for 24 hours
  • $200 for 72 hours

    Includes:
  • 52” Sicma bank and ditch Flail Mower
  • Manure Spreader
  • Single Row Root Harvester
  • 16” Dump Trailer
  • 36” Undercutter bar
  • Disk Mower
  • Hay Rake

Harvesters

  • $150 for 24 hours
  • $300 for 72 hours

    Includes:
  • All Crop 60
  • Machio Hay Baler

Compost Tea Brewer

  • Growing Solutions 100 Gallon Compost Tea Brewer

Annual Fee for Premier Membership: $500 / year
No cost per rental

What if I break something?

The Farm Collaborative will determine whether the damage resulted from misuse or normal wear and tear (collision with obstacles or other objects in the field is misuse of equipment). If this determination is disputed the two parties will split the cost of taking the equipment to a professional equipment shop to give their opinion, which will be the final say.

If the user is at fault for the damage:

  • They may repair it themselves if they believe they can repair it properly. If the repair does not hold through at least the next 3 uses the user will be charged for a proper repair.
  • The Farm Collaborative will repair the equipment if they are qualified and time allows. They will charge an hourly rate of $25/hr plus parts for the repair.
  • As a last resort the equipment will be brought to a professional shop and the user will be responsible for the cost of repair.
  • A hybrid of these three options can be utilized.

If the user is not at fault, The Farm Collaborative will do its best to get the equipment functional as soon as is reasonable for the next user.