The District’s Equipment Rental Program began in 1997 with the purchase of a 10-foot no-till drill, funded with a grant from the Chesapeake Bay Trust. Over the 25 years of the program, the District has purchased more than a dozen pieces of farming equipment. Funding is sourced by District funds, as well as grants awarded from the Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission (SMADC). Rental fees are set at a rate that covers repairs and maintenance only. You must be a cooperator with the district, have a current farm plan on file or in progress, and provide vehicle insurance. Rentals are reserved on a first come, first served basis.

EQUIPMENT RENTAL PROGRAM HANDBOOK (2025)

Equipment available:

  • No-till Drill (7ft) – St. Leonard
    • Fees: $25 per day and $7 per acre.
    • Used for planting soybeans and grasses but does not plant corn, has a pin hitch and requires a connector for lights and rear hydraulic hose connections, 55 HP tractor recommended.
  • Brillion Seeder (8ft) – Prince Frederick
    • Fees: $25 per day and $7 per acre.
    • Used for seeding pasture and for an assortment of grasses and seeds, for conventionally prepared seedbeds. 40 HP tractors recommended have a pin hitch and require a connector for lights and rear hydraulic hose connections.
  • [Under repair until further notice] 10ft No-till Drill – Prince Frederick
    • Fees: $25 per day and $7 per acre.
    • Used for planting soybean and has an attachment for small grains, does not plant corn, has a pin hitch and requires a connector for lights and rear hydraulic hose connections. ¾ ton truck is necessary to haul the drill, 75 HP tractors recommended. Note:  Farmers who used a lower HP tractor had trouble climbing uphill and stopping going downhill. 
  • Turbo Till (12ft) – Prince Frederick
    • Fees: $150 per day
    • Used for minimum disturbance tillage. Has a pintle hitch and requires rear hydraulic hose connections. Minimum two-ton truck with pintle hitch or 100 HP tractor to tow, minimum 100 HP tractor is recommended.
  • Litter Spreader (16ft) – Prince Frederick
    • Fees: $100 for the first day and $50 for each subsequent day.
    • Specializes in spreading chicken litter and lime, 85 HP tractor recommended.
  • Root-Crop Harvester (“Potato Digger”) – Prince Frederick
    • Fees: $50 per day
    • Used for harvesting potatoes, sweet potatoes, and other root crops. Has a pin hitch and requires rear hydraulic hose connections and PTO. Minimum 40 HP tractor is recommended.
  • Fence Post-Pounder – Wheatheart – Prince Frederick
    • Fees: $100 for the first day and $50 for each additional day.
    • Renter must view a short operational safety video at the district office before using. Drives 4”x4” posts in seconds and will drive up to a 10” round post, 40 HP tractor recommended.
  • Grain Vac – King 6640 – St. Leonard
    • Fees: $100 for the 1st day and $50 for additional days – Rental limited to two days unless otherwise scheduled.
    • Has the capacity to vacuum soybeans, wheat, canola, barley and corn. The vac must be sheltered if not being used. It requires a standard 1,000 rpm PTO shaft to operate the pump (small spline shaft). Minimum one-ton truck with a pin hitch or 110 HP tractor to tow and the ability to haul the piping.
  • Weed Wiper – Prince Frederick
    • Fees: $50 per day. May be rented by any cooperator in the Southern Maryland counties.
    • The Weed Wiper has a 2-inch ball hitch. Prior to returning the equipment, the tank needs to be emptied out and cleaned and the wick bar must be hosed down.
  • Round Hay Baler – Massey Ferguson – Prince Frederick
    • Fees: $50 per day and $5 per round bale
    • Maximum speed is 5 MPH. The tractor’s PTO must be 540 RPMs. In order to transport the baler, a tractor must have a minimum of 50 horsepower (HP) at the PTO. A pin hitch is required to tow this baler.
  • Round Hay Baler – New Holland – Prince Frederick
    • Fees: $50 per day and $5 per round bale
    • Maximum speed is 5 MPH. The tractor’s PTO must be 540 RPMs. In order to transport the baler, a tractor must have a minimum of 50 horsepower (HP) at the PTO. A pin hitch is required to tow this baler.

Frequently Asked Rental Questions

Who can use the equipment?

The equipment can be used by Calvert SCD Cooperators anywhere in Calvert County. Some equipment (The Woods Seeder and the Extreme Post-Driver only) is available to rent in the Southern Maryland (Charles, Prince George’s, Anne Arundel, and St. Mary’s Counties) that are cooperators with their respective Soil Conservation District. We require that you carry insurance that covers your liability while using the equipment.

The other consideration is your tractor. Each piece of equipment’s page details the minimum tractor power needed to operate it under typical conditions. When in doubt, get in touch with us and we will help you decide if a certain piece of equipment is right for you.

How and when do I reserve the equipment?

All you need to do is contact us by phone or email and we will reserve the equipment for you. There is usually not a waiting list, but there are certain times of year when some pieces of equipment are quite busy, for example, the no-till seed drill is in high demand in May and early September. We know that a lot can delay your plans when you are using the equipment, like the weather, and we are happy to work with you and keep the schedule flexible as much as possible while still accommodating all renters.

How do I transport the equipment?

Most of our rental equipment is designed to be towed over road locally by a sufficiently sized truck, without a trailer (with exeption of the Woods Seeder). Just make sure your truck and hitch are rated to tow the weight of the equipment. Equipment must be towed during daylight, during low-traffic times of day, and at reduced speeds.

The rental equipment is housed in locations around Prince Frederick and St. Leonard. You will have to pick up and return the equipment in a timely manner to and from the storage location.

What’s the story with this rental program?

Our goal is to help you improve your soils and conserve nutrients, ultimately improving water quality in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Most of our equipment was purchased using grant funds, which allows us to charge very modest rental fees. 100% of the rental fees go towards the repair, maintenance, and eventual replacement of the equipment.

How do I pay the equipment rental fees?

Please pay by cash or check, made out to Calvert Soil Conservation District, within 30 days of invoice. Credit is not accepted.