Grange Machinery used the Cereals event to launch its first direct seeder, the Tine-Drill Toolbar (TDT).
The unit has been developed following extensive on-farm testing managing director Rhun Jones explained: “Over the last few years more and more of our current and prospective customers have asked if we can offer a strong, robust frame that would allow them to have a tine drill that can be used in heavy clay soils right the way through to sandy loams.
“We took the forward step of design and manufacturing our first 6m unit three years ago to meet an order from PX Farms in Cambridgeshire who specifically wanted a light but strong framed tine drill for drilling cereals and beans.
“The changes in weather patterns over the last five years have affected the traditional end of harvest and drilling seasons drastically and in our opinion, the requirement for a flexible and lightweight setup to ensure crops can be established in tricky conditions but are sown with precision and a light ground footprint has never been more important.”
James Peck, managing director of PX Farms comments: “Grange Machinery worked with me to build a unique 6m mounted cultivator drill as we found that with the inclement weather the big drills were too heavy, especially on headlands and in corners.
“The Grange tine drill is strongly built and can put the beans in at full depth and then level the top off, all at high workrates. It can go in poorer conditions with less compaction as the setup is on 900 and 1100 tyres front to back with a relatively small hopper on the front, and we’ve achieved fantastic results – the beans are the best they’ve ever looked.”
The TDT is supplied with a Category 3 or 4 linkage headstock and uses 20mm Grange tines across four rows, with 250mm row spacings.
Said to be unique on the market, the wing sections can pivot five degrees side to side, enabling each side of the machine to follow undulations in the terrain while maintaining the correct seeding depth.
The company is working with Bourgault Tillage Tools (BTT) UK Ltd for the supply of coulters and will offer the full BTT range of tips. The model shown at Cereals was fitted with Bourgault 688-HLD-2000 holder and the 610-TIP-4030, four-inch paired row tip.
According to the company, the high chromium tip with a 3/4 inch carbide nose does most of the work for the coulter and also creates a drainage channel beneath the seed.
“Having the experience of Ian and Stuart who manage the BTT UK team adds massive value with service and field support along with a wealth of experience that will be invaluable to our customers when using the machine in a variety of conditions,” comments Rhun.
Following the tines, a double rear harrow is fitted with height and pitch adjustment. The machine is finished with hydraulic seed depth adjustment and behind each of the land wheels are a pair of tines to remove wheelings.
The TDT can be linked to any front tank, depending on customer preference, and can be fitted with a single distribution head for seed only applications, or a dual system for seed and fertiliser.
Further options include a Stocks Turbo Jet 8 i-Con applicator and rear bar with seed pipes and outlets for Avadex or slug pellet applications.
It’s available in working widths from 3m up to 6m, with the flagship model requiring 250hp. It is eligible for the latest government support schemes: Farming Equipment Technology Fund (FETF) FETF44, FETF205P, FETF45 and FETF206P along with the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) scheme SOH1: No-till farming.
