Small fields and high rainfall make harvest something of a challenge for Cornish cereal grower, Humfrey Stobart.

Consequently a compact combine capable of relatively high daily outputs is required. “We have 1143mm (45in) of rain each year and it seems that more and more of that comes during harvest, so we need a machine that will get on with the job when we get the chance.”

But because the biggest field on the farm is just 6ha (15acres) he can’t have a massive combine or header. “We’ve got a 5.1m (17ft) cutterbar on the Sampo and that’s just about right.”

Why change?

“We used to have a Laverda 3600 and before that an M103 and we liked their simplicity. But unfortunately the 3600 was not up to handling small seeds. We were about to go down the contractor route when we saw the Sampo.”

“A good no-frills machine, it fell into our price bracket presumably because, as an unknown brand, no-one else was keen to risk it.”

In two seasons the 3065 has cut some 240ha (600acres) and clocked 118hours. As regards output, in winter barley earlier this season it was averaging 10t/hour.

“The Sampo covers the ground at a good pace for us – I’m happy with 25acres/day,” says Mr Stobart.

“Like Finland, we have a tight harvest window. It’s damp here in the mornings and a soon as the sun goes down the dew starts to set so we only have a few vital hours in the middle of the day.”

Over the last two years the Sampo has had its problems, though. “We’ve had to change the drum belt, fiddle about with the electric header reverse-drive and, this season, do some fairly major repair work to the unloading auger drive,” he says.

“But all combines have their troubles. The great thing about the 3065 is that it’s simple to fix on farm.”

Although Sampo lacks a nationwide dealer network in the UK, Braintree based importer Trials Equipment can get parts shipped next-day direct to Cornwall and Mr Stobart’s local agricultural engineer E.R. Carlyon and his fitter Mort provide excellent back-up.

Likes

• Easy access for servicing and adjustments
• Solid build
• No fancy gizmos – no a diagnostic computer required to fix it

Gripes

• Parts shipped from Finland can be expensive
• Can be slow to get the set up right when changing crops
• No cool box

• Farmed area: 350acres
• Cropping: Winter wheat, winter barley, OSR, spring oats and maize
• Tractors: Valtra N167 with loader, New Holland TM125
• Combine:Sampo Rosenlew 3065

Cornish farmer Humfrey Stobart rates the Sampo for its solid build quality, easy servicing and good performance in wetter crops