Implements

Successful Small-scale Farming by Karl Schwenke has a good chapter on many different implements, how they work, what to look for to accomplish different jobs.

Lynn Miller of Small Farm Journal has several good books out that were helpful to me. While he concentrates on horse-drawn equipment, he explains it in great detail and the principles on implements are very much the same as for tractor-borne. If you search the web for small farm journal and SFJ, you'll find his site. The SFJ magazine is helpful, too, and I've seen boxes of back issues go at estate/farm auctions for very little money.

Better than the books for learning about implements, is to buy the owner's manuals or reprints of them, for your own equipment. If you can't find the exact model, get one similar. The older owner's manuals are so much better than modern ones--they tell you how to set up the equipment, how to take care of it, and how to use it, all in English (believe it or not) without all the "lawyer crap" that modern manuals are filled with. Sources of manuals are the original maunufacturer, this site, and ebay.

Finally, ask your neighbors. My next-door neighbor is a life-long farmer. He is patient and willing to help. He once trouble-shot my sicklebar mower from 200 yards away and was absolutely right (previous owner had put on the wrong 'end section' causing the blade to clog.). If you can take a little ribbing and laugh with them, the old guys are the best way to learn...but they'll never force their experience on you, you *have* to ask (only exception to that rule is if they see you're doing something stupid that'll cause you to die, then they'll come over and tell you how dangerous it is; had that happen once, too.)

good luck,
Tom A