Patent ID: 8100192

Claim:
A method for seeding, comprising: opening a valley in a field with a hoe opener while the hoe opener is in a ground engaging position; controlling a depth of the valley via a packer wheel assembly having a packer wheel mounted to a bracket, wherein the packer wheel is positioned directly behind the hoe opener in a first position while the hoe opener is in the ground engaging position, and the bracket is coupled to a packer wheel arm extending between the bracket and a linkage assembly; shifting the packer wheel in a rearward direction to a second position, via a linkage member extending between the packer wheel assembly and a shank coupled to the hoe opener, when the hoe opener encounters an obstruction and moves in the rearward direction toward a disengaged position; and shifting the packer wheel in a forward direction to the first position, via the linkage member, as the hoe opener transitions to the ground engaging position after the obstruction has been passed by the hoe opener; wherein the packer wheel assembly comprises an axle rotationally supporting the packer wheel on the bracket via a coupling of the axle and a slot in the bracket, and a biasing member coupled to the axle for urging the packer wheel in the forward direction within the slot.