In 2009, on their return from the UK, brothers Rusty and Tim set up Trusty Contracting. Rusty aims to meet changing demands in the Hawkes Bay, which has seen a mass expansion into horticulture.
"Much of the cropping land has been swallowed up into permanent orchards.”
But, with an increase in life-stylers, alongside their larger contracts with hillside stations, beef and sheep rearing operations, grass seed production and one large dairy farm, the business continues to expand.
The Kverneland 9472 C seems a perfect fit for Rusty’s operation. It is a robust two-rotor rake with a strong frame, designed to produce a quality centre-swath from raking widths between 6.2m and 7.2m. The rotors are mounted on a strong and stable frame, to ensure a long life. Features such as actively steered wheels, the TerraLink Quattro system and the hydraulically adjustable working width are all standard.
As it turns out the rake has become a firm favourite in Trusty Contracting's yard.
“After one or two teething problems which were quickly fixed by Power Farming’s, Hawkes Bay service department, the rake has proven itself superior in numerous ways.”
Rusty explained that a really valuable feature of the new rake is its ability to clean the ground and be gentle on the crop.
“We have found that it is a good machine in lucerne paddocks. By using a fast forward speed but a slightly slower rotor speed it is softer, and makes a nice job without bashing the leaf. The adjustment makes it sit up in a nicely adjustable swath between 1.2m and 2.2m.”
The special Kverneland Duo-Tines, with their characteristic two-row raking, assist in this outcome by accurately moving the crop into the swath. The wide diameter of up to 10mm provides the necessary capacity to move even large volumes of crop. The hydraulically adjustable working width enables the rake to match the intake of the following machine.
“The rake matches our mowers well, it doesn't matter which baler follows. It makes a nice even row for our balers and doesn’t leave anything behind. Kverneland’s Terra Quattro ground contouring is responsible for that. These days the baler drivers prefer to follow the KV rake rather than one of the others."
“When the swath width is absolutely right the baler can follow in a straight line, no weaving in order to pick up the crop.”
“As far as being easy to transport and fast to put into work, all of the adjustments necessary are made hydraulically from the tractor seat. So, on entering or leaving a paddock much of the preparation is done, enabling the rake to work immediately without stopping to setup. It's always good to change things on the move if the capabilities are there. This is a great advantage and real timesaver over our other rakes.”
Kvernerland’s CompactLine gearbox, with all critical parts running in oil, helps reduce maintenance time to a minimum, only greasing the main pivots and driveshafts is necessary daily.
Rusty’s grass operation runs smoothly with the assistance of Ben Munford and the Power Farming team. He finished by saying, “The service at Power Farming is pretty good, they understand the disruption and cost of down-time and are quick with solutions.”
Graeme Leigh
