January 2010 Archives

I have another apology to make. Or rather, correction. Luckily, I've managed to change it on our online article, but not in the mag, so tomorrow I am expecting a rather deserved lambasting.

I'm not one to make excuses (honest, guv, I'm not) but sometimes when you want to get a story written quickly you make a blunder. This one is a pretty obvious one. I've called John Deere 'German giants' in our latest tractor manufacturers share piece. I know it's American, I have countless mementos from the States of John Deere gadgets and memorabilia (see below my tasteful pink number plate!).

So, there you have it. More haste less speed.

As a punishment, I've been told I need to write out lines: 'I must not say John Deere are German giants' 100 times. And, I've got to outline the key product differences from the two countries:

Germany - Bratwurst

US - Hotdog

German beer:

US beer:

German tractor:

But... hang on - isn't Fendt owned by AGCO?!?

Claas is definitely German (not French, before anyone jumps on that bandwagon!)

US tractor:

So - it's as easy as that. I won't be doing that again in a hurry!

Last Thursday, I really enjoyed Jimmy's Global Harvest, in which the lovable Suffolk farmer travelled to Australia to investigate how the world is going to feed itself in years to come.

I missed the previous week's episode, which I've just caught up with on BBC's iPlayer. It's got some wicked big kit action coverage in Brazil, some which I have put (albeit lo-res as I have taken them from the film) below.

This week, he's in North America. Watch it at 8pm on BBC2 or catch it on iPlayer: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00pspf0/Jimmys_Global_Harvest_Brazil/ 

Now intrepid drivers have the chance to get behind the wheel of a similarly awesome Hilux to the one Top Gear took to the Magnetic South Pole and test their skills across the frozen wastes in a new range of adventure off-roading tours.

Reykjavik-based Arctic Trucks, the specialist company that kitted out the Hilux to cope with the extreme conditions of the challenge, is offering trips of between two and five days and longer expeditions through the wild landscape of Iceland.

Its fleet of vehicles includes two Toyota Hilux Invincible Double Cabs equipped with special features to meet the demands of tackling the country's tundra, glaciers, lava fields and mountains, including a set of giant 38-inch tyres that allow the vehicle to traverse deep snow and thin ice.

Toyota models prepared by the company have supported expeditions to both the North and South poles, outperforming more familiar arctic vehicles such as half-tracks and Snowmobiles.

Interested? Click onto www.arctictrucks-experience.com

Although meant for the growing biomass market, AGCO's combine/baler combination, showcased at the Florida farm machinery show AgConnect, is sure to spark the imagination of many (although it's not an entirely new idea - Aussie company Glenvar had something similar in 2001).

Designers have taken the Challenger 670B and 680B combines and fitted a modified delivery system that feeds material directly into a receiving chamber on the big square LB34B baler towed hydraulically behind.

Corn cobs and MOG (material other than grain) is then baled at high density at about 75% cob:25% MOG - ready for transport to ethanol plants. The material can also be used to feed livestock, apparently.

Anyway, have a watch.

A fellow twitterer just tweeted a link to this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBjlSJf4274

During the 1920s a thing called the Armstead Snow Motor was invented (shown in the great video above). The cunning device was then bolted on to a Fordson tractor to make a screw-propelled vehicle capable of travelling through snow. It became known as (unsurprisingly) the Fordson Snow Devil.

Steering was delivered in a similar way as to a machine on tracks, each cylinder receiving power from a separate clutch which, depending on the position of the steering gear, engages and disengages, giving fairly good maneuverability.

There's a bit more information on using screw-propelled machines here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screw-propelled_vehicle

What happened to the Snow Devil? Why didn't it take off? Any suggestions email them to emily.padfield@rbi.co.uk

NB: There's an awful clip in the film illustrating a horse trying to get through the snow. Animal lovers look away now...

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of attending a New Holland press event at the UK's Basildon HQ. It was the usual setup, a nice cuppa, too many tasty pastries and some interesting presentations about how NH has done sales-wise and also what new products it plans to present at LAMMA next week.

So, with the presentations over, it was time to trot down to the factory to catch a glimpse of what's bound to be attracting the crowds this time next week - the NH2 hydrogen-powered tractor.

It's been let out of Turin to embark on a bit of a European tour - and the UK have managed to grab it for about a month to give it outings at both LAMMA (20 & 21 Jan at Newark) and the Doe Show (2, 3, 4 Feb at Maldon).

Anyone would think looking after a tractor would be simple. But, when that tractor is one of the first to contain a hydrogen fuel cell and be operational, there's quite a lot to think about. Because there's no engine, there's no anti-freeze, and keeping the hydrogen cell and all the gubbins around it warm in these Baltic conditions is a bit of a worry.

It looked snug enough in the warm factory though - but come LAMMA, expect some hot water bottles and fleece blankets if these temperatures continue.  

I'm looking out the window to see more snow falling on the 10 inches already settled. All I can say is that I'm glad I'm in a house with an aga and a woodburner - and we've got several tractors outside.

As most of you will know, most rural villages appoint a snow warden (usually a farmer with a tractor) who, in turn, get a snow plough from the council. The roads are then rife with tractors and snow ploughs, keen to save cars (and usually - but not in my case for obvious reasons - damsels) in distress. Technically, each snow plough-equipped farmer is supposed to do his wardened area - but when people are stuck, that goes out the window.

Farmers and contractors then bill the council for hours spent clearing the snow (about £27 apparently).

(sorry for the fact it's blurry - it was going pretty quickly!)

So - I've left the boys fixing the snow plough and rescuing damsels while I try to obtain communications (it's taken me ages to get any signal with a dongle) and write some features.

Happy playing!