Tractor Stories.....

At Vollmecke Orchards we have 5 tractors. While that might seem like a lot, each machine has a specific purpose for us. Our newest machine is an Antonio Carraro TTR-9400, which we were able to purchase with a grant from the PA Department of Enviromental Protection. This machine's primary use is pulling our compost turner, and operating our Imants spading machine, which is our primary tillage machine. (Tractor and turner pictured to the right) It's an 87hp 4wd tractor with cab and air conditioning- by far the most comfortable of our tractors. Though new by our standards, it's still a used machine, and can be temperamental. The oldest tractor is a 1946 Farmall A- no fancy stuff on this one, but it's a very reliable old machine, and it is the one that usually pulls the harvest wagons in. It's also great for pulling a flatbed wagon that we use for removing prunings and debris from the orchard, as it is small and maneuverable. In the middle we have a 1969 David Brown 990, used for spraying the orchards and operating our plastic mulch layer, moldboard plow, and weed badger. We also have a wonderful 1982 Kubota L245H high clearance cultivating tractor. This is probably the most used tractor on the farm, as it runs our rototiller, cultivates strawberries and vegetables, runs the flail mower, and is the only tractor that can handle the boom sprayer used for spraying under the fruit trees. Last, but not least is our 1987 John Deere 2355 loader tractor. This is the only tractor we have that is equipped with a front end loader, and that in itself is invaluable. This tractor is also a great general purpose machine that can, in a pinch, stand in for many of the other tractors.
Tomorrow I'll try to get into some harvest notes and pictures...
Jeff