Tag Archive for: Hall

Cannon Hall takes on Ranger Diesel

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Cannon Hall takes on Ranger Diesel: A year on from receiving their first Ranger EV as a birthday gift to dad Roger, Farmers Robert and Dave at Cannon Hall Farm are still utilising the Polaris Ranger around the 125-acre farm, now with their latest Ranger Diesel model.

Featuring on Channel 5’s Friday on the Farm and Summer on the Farm, the team have been extremely busy with the upkeep of their popular and ever-developing farm. The Ranger Diesel is on hand to help, delivered to Cannon Hall Farm back in January this year.

Cannon Hall takes on Ranger Diesel

Cannon Hall takes on Ranger Diesel

Farmer Robert said: “We loved the EV around here – it was our first time with a Polaris vehicle and really showed us the quality of the brand. This year, having the Diesel has been another great experience – it’s so usable, it’s so flexible and it’s more than capable. We’ll often use the Ranger for extended periods and having the confidence in the diesel engine has been great, not to mention it’s fantastic when carrying heavy loads in the bed.”

The Ranger Diesel is proving itself to be the ultimate agricultural workhorse, being put to hard work from the get-go at Cannon Hall Farm. With its large cargo bed with 435kg capacity, the team at Cannon Hall Farm use it to transport animal food and supplies. This is a no mean feat with Cannon Hall Farm being home to hundreds of animals and reptiles, all with tailored, high-quality care.

Over the 125 acres of the farm, there’s a number of less-accessible areas that can’t be easily accessed by traditional 4×4 vehicles – this is where the Ranger Diesel comes into its own with the highest ground clearance in its class of 33cm, plus added features like electronic power steering to allow the team – including dad Roger – to ride around the farm all day without fatigue.

“The Ranger Diesel is really well made and the whole vehicle inspires confidence when driving, not just off road but also when travelling on the roads from field to field,” Farmer Rob continued. “It’s the most robust off road vehicle we’ve ever had at the farm!”

Not only proving to be an excellent helping hand for daily farm life, Dave and Rob have recently come up with a more unique way to use the cargo bed.

“The Ranger Diesel is handy for lots of different things but our favourite is as a bar on wheels, when we have events, concerts, etc. We’ve discovered that we can use the Ranger to store all the cold drinks and move them around, the waterproof bed is perfect for the job. Plus, when we run out, it’s only a quick drive back to refill – no more of those pesky wheelbarrows running back and forth!”

Farmer David said: “The Ranger Diesel has been a real game changer for us here at Cannon Hall Farm, we certainly put it through its paces and it has never let us down yet. It’s a well built machine that we know we can rely on, and its versatility is something we now couldn’t live without.”

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Slaley Hall turns to Otterbine

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Slaley Hall turns to Otterbine: Slaley Hall Hotel, Spa and Golf Resort in the Northumberland countryside became a first-time Otterbine customer ready for the Matchroom Tour Championship last October, with one of the brand’s most popular products on full display.

The club invested in a 1HP Sunburst aerating fountain to fix the weed and algae problem, add a decorative display to the lake at the fifteenth hole and complement the beauty of the famous tree-lined fairways on the Hunting course, one of its two PGA-standard 18-hole courses.

Slaley Hall turns to Otterbine

Slaley Hall turns to Otterbine

With a brief to find a product to solve a problem and bring beauty to his waterscape, course manager Neil Smith didn’t hesitate to turn to distributor Reesink Turfcare: “I’d used Reesink in the past and get on well with Pete Newton from the water division, who recommended the product and helped a lot getting the fountain in time for the event and making sure everything was right.

“I knew about the brand and knew they were very good, reliable products,” he continues. “Slaley Hall already had a full fleet of Toro machines and Toro irrigation from Reesink so it seemed like the sensible choice to make, going back to them for this. I told Pete exactly what I was looking for and he recommended this model. It has served us very well.”

The Sunburst is one of Otterbine’s most sought-after fountains, not only for its classical spray pattern that suits most venues, but also for its impressive oxygen transfer rates and pumping power (up to 237 cubic metres per hour in as little as 75cm of water), which are some of the highest in the industry.

“The lake is definitely clear from weeds, which has helped with the visual aspect,” says Neil. “The shape of the fountain is exactly what we wanted and provides a very striking display for golfers, adding to the whole experience. We’ve had very nice comments from guests about the way it looks so it’s a great addition to the course.

“I’d done some research beforehand and it does everything it says on the tin, it’s a good line,” he claims. “The timing system, especially, is very useful – we don’t have it on 24/7, which saves on running costs and water and helps us stay sustainable. We haven’t had any issues with it, it’s all gone very smoothly. And I know from working with Reesink in the past that if needed their back-up is great and they respond quickly, so we’re never worried.”

Now that he has tried Otterbine and experienced the benefits, Neil already has plans for more additions to the club. But for now, he and the team will have their hands full preparing for the season and the 2022 PGA Professional Championship in June.

“I’m interested in adding more Otterbine products to the course in the future as I find it’s an important aspect to consider in the business,” Neil continues. “The pH levels of the water can change quickly so you need that maintenance and extra step to keep everything balanced. The fact that they’re aesthetically pleasing is a big bonus and helps maintain a professional, put-together image. We’ll be progressing that after the tournament.”

To find out more about the Otterbine range of aerators and fountains, contact Reesink on 01480 226800, email info@reesinkturfcare.co.uk or visit reesinkturfcare.co.uk

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‘Mr SALTEX’ inducted into GMA Hall of Fame

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‘Mr SALTEX’ inducted into GMA Hall of Fame: The Grounds Management Association (GMA) today announces that SALTEX Operations Director, Derek Walder, also known as ‘Mr SALTEX’, will be the third inductee into its industry Hall of Fame.

This latest honour, the most significant gesture of appreciation the GMA can award, follows Derek’s Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG) Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014 and is being awarded to Derek as an acknowledgement of an illustrious career in the industry spanning more than half a century.

‘Mr SALTEX’ inducted into GMA Hall of Fame

‘Mr SALTEX’ inducted into GMA Hall of Fame

Derek’s career has seen him involved in many corners of the groundscare sector, including 26 years as the grounds manager at Wimbledon Football Club’s training site during a legendary period in the club’s history which involved working alongside the notorious group of Wimbledon players known as the ‘Crazy Gang’.

Derek first got involved in SALTEX operations in 1970 as one of many members dedicating their own time in order to ensure SALTEX was a success. His time involved in SALTEX has seen him deal with many important moments in the show’s history, like when the show moved from outdoor venues to an indoor one and, most recently, the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic and ensuring the safety of visitors at this year’s show. This year, marks his 40th delivery of the annual trade exhibition.

His induction into the GMA’s Hall of Fame means that Derek is just the third inductee, joining legendary grounds managers, the late Eddie Seaward MBE, former Head Groundsman at the All-England Lawn Tennis Club and Steve Braddock, Head of Grounds Management at the Arsenal Football Club training centre. His award represents the many crucial roles being played behind the scenes that keep the sector, and its events, running.

GMA CEO, Geoff Webb, commenting on Derek’s latest honour, says:

“Our Hall of Fame recognises outstanding contributions to the industry and Derek’s achievements go far beyond turf management by bringing together the groundscare sector successfully under one roof year on year. Derek has shown unswerving dedication to the success of SALTEX, and this award is richly deserved.”

On receiving his honour, Hall of Fame inductee, Derek Walder, says:

“There’s no ‘i’ in ‘team’; I am surrounded by a great bunch of people who consistently commit 100 per cent to the show. I’ve been delivering SALTEX for a long time, but at the end of the day we’ve got a good team and that’s what makes it a success.”

An in-depth feature on Derek, and his journey in grounds management which led to his induction into the Grounds Management Association Hall of Fame, was published in the Winter 2021 edition of the GMA’s member magazine, Grounds Management, a preview of which you can read by clicking here.

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Ranger EV continues to serve Cannon Hall

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Ranger EV continues to serve Cannon Hall: Six months on from the delivery of the Ranger EV to Cannon Hall Farm, Farmers Robert and David and dad Roger are utilising all aspects of their new electric utility vehicle…

Featuring on Channel 5’s Friday on the Farm back in October, the Ranger EV has since become a regular guest star on the show, and behind the scenes too, helping with day-to-day farm life.

Ranger EV continues to serve Cannon Hall

Ranger EV continues to serve Cannon Hall

Robert Nicholson, from Cannon Hall Farm, said: “We’ve been really pleasantly surprised by the versatility of the Ranger and it is used every single day around the farm for various tasks. It surprised us by how brilliantly it handled off-road, it is really good in wet conditions and it makes life so much easier for us as it means we can get anywhere on the land without having any problems.”

At just 147cm wide, the Ranger EV is the perfect utility vehicle for fitting through gates and storing inside a barn or garage. Not only that, its smooth, silent motor means it will not spook any animals whilst in operation.

“We’ve used it way more than we thought we would because it is so adaptable – we have even got a tow bar on it now,” continued Robert. “It is used regularly for transporting animals, for training Pip and for checking the stock in our 125 acres of land. It’s been particularly useful in the snow if we’ve needed to bring any animals back to the farm. We’ve even used it to help Farmer David’s fitness regime – he wasn’t quite ready to pull a lorry so the Ranger EV was perfect.”

The Ranger EV has a 680kg towing capacity, along with 227kg bed box capacity for hauling things like animal feed and tools. Cannon Hall Farm’s Ranger EV has been fitted with a livestock canopy from TFM Engineering, which optimises the cargo bed for carrying livestock and for Cannon Hall Farm’s dog, Pip.

Given to Roger as a late birthday present last year, Cannon Hall Farm’s Ranger EV is well suited as an access-all-areas vehicle around the land with its on-demand all-wheel-drive technology to give it more forward traction when needed – especially helpful in muddy or slippery conditions – as well as ample space in the cab so Roger can easily get in and out.

Spot the Ranger EV on the latest season of This Week on the Farm on Channel 5, and catch up on-demand on My5.tv.

#FridayOnTheFarm

#ThisWeekOnTheFarm

To see Cannon Hall Farm’s latest adventures with their new Polaris Ranger EV, follow them on Facebook, Instagram or Youtube.

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Witham Hall invest in Rotobrush

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Witham Hall invests in a Rotobrush: Home to full sized Astroturf, grass cricket wicket, a nine-hole golf course and an all-weather wicket, there was no better match than the GKB Rotobrush for Witham Hall Preparatory School.

Alex Exton, Groundsman at Witham Hall Preparatory School explains that the GKB Rotobrush perfectly fits their needs. “It is a compact and efficient machine that it is perfect for what I wanted it for.” He continues, “This machine was affordable to which was a big appeal. It’s rare you can get such an impressive machine for such a great price.”

Witham Hall invests in a Rotobrush

Witham Hall invests in a Rotobrush

As your synthetic sport pitches get used, dirt becomes apparent. From moss and algae to general wear and tear, this ultimately can affect the technical characteristics and authentic appearance of the turf. The GKB Rotobrush restores this by tackling persistent contamination. Alex explains, “We use our GKB Rotorbrush to clean our Astro. Due to the size of our grounds it can take a while however this machine is the best of the best!”

The GKB Rotobrush enables you to brush deeper and more effectively where needed. Thanks to the rotating brush disc that is provided with extra rigid bristles, your artificial pitch maintenance can be taken to the next level. When the functioning of normal brushing and cleaning stops, the GKB Rotobrush continues. Alex Exton said “The GKB Rotobrush gets so close to the edges of the Astroturf, especially where the carpet meets the fence kickboard and also on the artificial for the cricket.”

For more on GKB Machines and their reliable and robust range of machinery for natural, hybrid and synthetic turf, please visit www.gkbmachines.com or contact Tom Shinkins on 07495 883617.

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