inform - Grimme UK

Better seedbeds earn better returns
With
seedbed preparation
critical to producing high quality
potatoes capable of attracting the
best returns, the right planting
equipment is essential say potato
contracting specialists Les and Trevor
Smith of R L Smith and Sons, from
Herriot Bank Farm, Whitsome in
Berwickshire.
With over 20 years experience in the
potato contracting business the
brothers number four GL32B
planters, three KS1500 toppers, and
five DL1700 and two GZ1700
harvesters in their Grimme fleet.
“Without the right land, the highest
quality seed, and the best equipment
it is difficult to justify the capital
investment required to produce
potatoes profitably,” says Les Smith.
“We rely on growers doing their job
properly by ploughing the land from
the previous crop in good time for
our de-stoners to prepare the
seedbeds prior to planting. The onus
is then on us to ensure we do the
best job for our customers.
Although soils in the Scottish Borders
are generally excellent for growing
quality potatoes, in some areas
stones can cause serious problems at
harvest. Land is therefore always destoned
prior to planting.
“Lifting starts late so speed of
harvest is essential. Removing as
many stones as possible probably
doubles our harvesting speed,” says
Les Smith. “Also with 34 men working
in teams on four different fields at
any one time, we can’t afford down
time. Quality equipment is critical
and, in this respect, Grimme is
outstanding. The same is true for
back-up, especially during peak
periods.”
The Smith’s operate five Grimme
Combi-Star de-stoners, which are
ideally suited for main crop potatoes
and where soils are heavy, cloddy
and wet, or in situations where straw
or newly ploughed out grass may be
left in the field.
Two further Combi-Web de-stoners
have different sized webs and can be
adjusted to suit different soils,
especially where salads are
concerned, as they require an extra
fine seedbed.
“Seven rows of stars on the Combi-
Star de-stoners make up the main
sieving unit which is where the
majority of loose soil is removed and
soft clods are broken up,” says Les
Smith. “Worn out stars can be
replaced easily and efficiently. After
the salad potatoes have been
It pays to think cost not
price for replacement parts
A
new Case Study from Grimme
details how the experiences of two
large growers has led them to re-think
their maintenance policies after
counting the cost of fitting non OEM
replacement parts.
Karl Rust, Farm Manager for Joseph
Camm Farms in the heart of
Nottinghamshire who is responsible
for 4000 acres, grows 800 acres of
root crops and his Grimme harvesters
can run for anything up to forty six
weeks of the year. All de-stoning work
is done with just one 2 web Combi-
Web.
Conscious that non genuine spares
could be up to 30% cheaper than
OEM parts, he bought a Dutch-made
replacement web for the Destoner.
Unfortunately, it failed after just 100
acres and could not be repaired.
Not only did his local Grimme dealer
replace it at the week-end so work
could continue. The new web went on
to complete 300 acres without a
hitch.
His conclusions? “My initial thoughts
when I bought the genuine web were
that it was rather expensive. However,
I was pleasantly surprised to discover
that the genuine web actually worked
out a lot cheaper.”
To read Karl’s conclusions and see his
detailed comparative costings, simply
tick the box on the reply card, return
it to us & we’ll send you a copy.
planted we have the option of
converting the Combi-Webs to main
crop specification.”
“The versatility of the Grimme
equipment means we can chop and
change between potato enterprises
without purchasing new machines,”
he says. “So if the salad market
collapses then we can convert the destoners
for use on the main crop.”
PRIZE
WINNERS
Prize Draw
Issue One
First out of the hat for the prize
draw in our first Issue were:
Paul Orrit
E Orrit & Sons Ltd., Ormskirk
Ian Glen
Glen Produce, Montrose
They will be visiting the
Grimme Technicom Centre at
Grimme’s HQ in Damme,
Germany later this year.