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John Deere technology improves accuracy and efficiency

September 5, 2022/in News, Press Release/by Louise Challiss

John Deere technology improves accuracy and efficiency: The 2022 Farm Sprayer Operator of the Year says the technology packed into his John Deere R962i has simplified applications without compromising on the size of the tank. Steve May, arable foreman at Fromant and Sanders in Kislingbury, Northamptonshire, has a 6,200-litre tank and 36m boom on his […]

Two Ventracs at the True Fit

September 2, 2022/in News, Press Release/by Peter Driver

Two Ventracs at the True Fit: Over the past couple of years, the True Fit Golf Centre at Cuerdley near Warrington has purchased two Ventrac all-terrain compact tractors and a selection of attachments to maintain the 18-hole Fiddlers Ferry golf course and 22-bay driving range. All of the equipment was purchased through their local dealer, […]

John Deere technology improves accuracy and efficiency

September 5, 2022/in News, Press Release/by Louise Challiss

Two Ventracs at the True Fit

September 2, 2022/in News, Press Release/by Peter Driver

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John Deere technology improves accuracy and efficiency

September 5, 2022/in News, Press Release/by Louise Challiss

John Deere technology improves accuracy and efficiency: The 2022 Farm Sprayer Operator of the Year says the technology packed into his John Deere R962i has simplified applications without compromising on the size of the tank.

Steve May, arable foreman at Fromant and Sanders in Kislingbury, Northamptonshire, has a 6,200-litre tank and 36m boom on his trailed machine, pulled by a 6215R AutoPowr.

John Deere technology improves accuracy and efficiency

The biggest trailed John Deere sprayer available at the time of purchase in 2019, Steve opted to stay loyal to the brand after being impressed with his previous model, the M740.

“The R-series sprayers are already high spec, so a lot of the features I needed came as standard,” he says. “This is our third John Deere sprayer, but this one was a big step up in terms of technology, size and width.”

Twin Select nozzles, one fixed and one quad rotating, means that Steve can alternate between them from the cab, cutting down on the manual changes.

He has been particularly impressed with the PowrSpray system, which boasts separate pumps for filling and spraying. “The filling system on this sprayer is just fantastic,” he says.

“The filling pump has a 1,200-litre/min capacity, so I can fill the tank in around five minutes,” he explains.

Setting how much water he wants on the screen, Steve can depend on the system to fill the sprayer on its own, and he has the option to use the ‘active pause’ function to slow the speed of filling while the chemicals are added.

Altogether Steve sprays 810ha, which is split between the home farm and contracted work and crops grown include wheat, barley, oats, oilseed rape and beans.

“The tractor and sprayer both being John Deere means everything is integrated really nicely, which makes my life easier,” he says.

“I use the tractor’s Greenstar RTK guidance to put the tramlines in, which means I can spray everything with autosteer,” Steve says.

Previously, Steve worked on SF1, meaning he had to correct the guidance lines as he worked. “Now they are perfect throughout the season,” he says.

The 6215R is fitted with 710/70 R42 tyres for the winter and 480/80 R46 rubber in the summer. The sprayer has 710/70 R38 spec for the winter and runs on 420/80 R46s in the summer.

Overall, Steve has been impressed with the R962i’s performance.

“The technology is very clever but on a simpler level it’s easily manoeuvrable for such a large implement, and the axle suspension smooths out the ride.”

Steve has been so impressed that the farm has already placed an order for John Deere’s new R975i which has a 7,500-litre tank and is expected to arrive on farm in time for 2023 spring spraying.

“It’s pretty much the same machine, it just has a bigger tank which will give us a bit more capacity, particularly in the autumn when we’re doing pre-emergence,” Steve says.

“We’re putting 200l per hectare on when we’re spraying pre-emergence herbicides so obviously the more liquid I can get in the tank, the further I can get around in a day.

“I think the new sprayer comes in somewhere around 90 acres per tank load, whereas our current model does 75 acres per tank load.”

Tank size is key because he needs the capacity to avoid having to make journeys back to base to refill.

Although there are a couple of satellite water tanks at his disposal, not having to rely on them so much will provide a significant time saving.

Steve fought off stiff competition to be named Farm Sprayer Operator of the Year, securing his win after impressing the judges in all three rounds.

“It’s not really about driving a tractor or sprayer – it’s about having the knowledge and ability to do the best job you can with what you’ve got,” he explains.

“The judges focus on how you set up your equipment, processes and paperwork to be as precise as possible, because this leads to efficiency, which in turn leads to environmental gains.

“Finding out I had won was fantastic.”

Steve is BASIS and FACTS qualified, and made the final six of the Syngenta-organised competition in 2018 but 2022 was the first time he has taken the top prize which includes a trophy and a trip to Agritechnica 2023.

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Two Ventracs at the True Fit

September 2, 2022/in News, Press Release/by Peter Driver

Two Ventracs at the True Fit: Over the past couple of years, the True Fit Golf Centre at Cuerdley near Warrington has purchased two Ventrac all-terrain compact tractors and a selection of attachments to maintain the 18-hole Fiddlers Ferry golf course and 22-bay driving range. All of the equipment was purchased through their local dealer, Cheshire Turf Machinery.

The True Fit Golf Centre was originally formed in 1985 as a golf club assembly business by engineer Mark Overton, before he added a 9-hole golf course, which quickly turned into 18-holes of golf when a local farmer sold him some adjoining land.

Two Ventracs at the True Fit

The small course maintenance team were using an eclectic mix of mowing equipment before the engineer in Mark Overton decided there must be a more cost-effect way to manage the 5,500-yard course.

“I followed Ventrac on YouTube long before I decided to have a demo, as it appealed to my engineering instincts”, he said. “I liked the fact that you have a single power unit and multiple attachments to do various jobs around the course. We purchased our first unit back in 2020 and it quickly became apparent that we needed another one. We were considering the purchase of a new fairway mower from a major brand, but for the £80,000 purchase price we can have a Ventrac with a selection of attachments that do more than just on task. It just made sound commercial sense.”

Ian Millington is the principal operator of the machine and said,

“We have the two tractor units and added more attachments over time, so we now have a Contour deck, which we set at 35mm for the semi-rough and the triple Reel mower, which is set at 14mm for the fairways. This unit cuts as well, if not better, than some of the major brands. The Tough Cut deck is used on overgrown areas, and the Trencher is used for creating drainage bands, as we are situated very close to the river Mersey and it can be wet at times. Our final attachment is the Power Rake which we use for reinstating gravel pathways or preparing new areas when we need to break up the soil. It really has added to the overall presentation and playability of the course; even the golfers have made favourable comments!”

Mark Overton added, “We are a Pay-and-Play course with many regulars using our seasonal pass, creating a membership feel. All greens and tees have been built to USGA specifications and it has been designed to suit all levels of golfer from the beginner right through to the regular enthusiast. We’re not a long course by any calculation, but the Ventrac is the ideal solution for cost-effective course maintenance.

“Covering over 120 acres, the course has many water features and can be quite wet due to our proximity to the river as Ian alluded to earlier. Now, with the Trencher, we have the flexibility to install drainage when we want to and are not reliant on contractors. And we can get the machine out when it’s wet due to its incredibly low ground pressure. It’s robust, very well built and, as we have proved, it’s not just a machine for high-end clubs. Yes, we definitely like it.”

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

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Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

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Half Sized Blog Element (Multi Author Style)

John Deere technology improves accuracy and efficiency

Two Ventracs at the True Fit

John Deere technology improves accuracy and efficiency

Two Ventracs at the True Fit

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John Deere technology improves accuracy and efficiency

John Deere technology improves accuracy and efficiency: The 2022 Farm Sprayer Operator of the Year says the technology packed into his John Deere R962i has simplified applications without compromising on the size of the tank.

Two Ventracs at the True Fit

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