The New Holland T7 is experiencing a new bulb planting modification

Commitment to subsistence farming requires a good niche kit, and for Mark Eves, director of Belmont Nurseries, he owns up to £ 200,000 worth of bulb planting material.

The planting of daffodils, peonies, gladioli, and delicious William is almost a year-round, completed with a modified New Holland T7 210 Auto Command embellished with additional accessories.

The tractor was brought in in August to replace the old Massey Ferguson 3065 and, because he was instructed to be barefoot, Mr. Eves' first task was to install a set of Soucy tracks that were 320mm wide. These are from J Brock & Sons in Thaxted and, for £ 24,000, were probably part of the £ 46,000 quoted in the new purchase.

• “Because of our winter rains, we sometimes had heavy tires. They used to sink in wet places and cover the ground under unfavorable conditions, so we decided that we should try a set of tracks instead. They have a very large footprint and the tractor is paddling across the ground - at a rate, we may be traveling at the wrong time. The tires we had earlier made a foot 36cm wide, and 30cm long, about 1.08sq m / rear wheel. By comparison, the tracks are 32cm wide and 160cm long - a footprint of 5.12sq m, five times larger than the wheels. And because of their small size, we were able to extend the width of the bed and get extra crops in each field. ”
• Another advantage, says Mr. Eves, is the way the long base of each track climbs over lumps and bumps, maintaining a consistent link height and eliminating significant changes in tone that could previously affect the planter's depth. However, he is careful not to go overboard, as this has a tendency for disabled and lazy tracks - both of which can be costly and slightly disruptive to install.
• “I expect them to last 10 years, which will be accompanied by a change of tractor. When that time comes, we can always close the second set of tires, as the shift takes only a few minutes to complete. ”

Koops Uploader

The most unusual-looking part of the rig is the Frankenstein-esque combination of the rear-mounted front end and over-cab hopper. This, along with other bulbs for planting bulbs, was developed by the Dutch company Koops. The kit was loaded onto a tractor in the Netherlands but, due to Brexit imports problems, had to be dismantled and reassembled by Mr. Eves when he returned to UK soil. This was a rainy day job, surprisingly, lasting only one afternoon. Operating a planting machine is the job of two people. Luckily for the two of them, they stay in the cable warmer area to monitor the various camera feeds and directions, and also operate the loader. This is used to lift 600kg bulb boxes above and above the 4.6m cup in the hopper mounted on the chassis above the cable. It has a capacity of 2t  enough for three or four boxes. On the hopper bed, there is a full-width PVC conveyor belt. This intermittent interaction by the planter operator to keep the second holding hopper on the rear machine mounted. From there, the bulbs are thrown over a moving bed that spreads evenly across the full width of the planter. The number of bulbs allowed to fall under the hopper is automatically controlled, based on the speed of movement and the calculation sensor of the bulb. For tulips, the target is between 100 and 400 bulbs per running meter. At the end of the moving bed, they fall between two net beds, held by a series of rolls. This raining system makes it easy to lift the bulbs cleanly from the ground at the end of the season.

Components of soil performance

The second tractor operates just before the planter, switching between the subsoiler and the plow to prepare the soil. As the crop takes up about 3 ha/day, the early operation is a risk of losing moisture or leaving the plowed soil vulnerable to heavy rainfall. The farmer himself carries two bodies like a snow plow to separate the soil, pushing it away from the main side guards to leave a 1.54m wide bed. This operating depth is automatically adjusted using radar sensors in the rear connection of the tractor. These speak to a pair of hydraulic rams that were replaced by standard connecting rods. They control the lifting and lowering of the plant, by connecting the three points of the tractor and keeping it in a stable position. integration factor.

What about accuracy?

As the grower moves in just 4.5kph, repetitive, precision pointing is essential for returning to the field daily without changing bout lines. With that in mind, Mr. Eves upgraded his GPS kit in the summer, replacing the old Topcon X30 unit with the company's X35 console, fitted with Cambridgeshire distributor LH Agro. This brings with it great processing power and updated software, making it easy to map your footprints, tracks, and locations. It controls various planter features with Isobus, including automatic phase controls to reduce waste in uncultivated areas, planting costs, and bulb counts, all without manual input from the driver.

“We have had Topcon software since 2008, but improvements over the years have made a huge difference in the way we manage things. We can now monitor how many bulbs have been planted, and where different varieties and stocks are planted - we have more than 35 - planted. This can also be monitored in the tractor cab so that the driver can ensure that the investment objectives are met. ”

The control program starts at the Belonont Nurseries Topcon stations, one on the farm and one mobile unit. This provides the required repeat accuracy and means that no further RTK correction signal registration is required.