Krone grassland machinery demonstration

Organised by Pecks, the event, hosted on a thick grass crop at North Tuddenham belonging to F S Dann & Son, featured Krone mowers, tedders, rakes, balers and wrappers all powered by the latest JCB Fastracs.

Compared to many other forage crops in the area this spring which have suffered due to lack of rain, grass at the site was dense with a high moisture content, and potential buyers who attended commented that this provided a useful test for the machines.

Harvesting excellence

“The Pecks Krone grass event highlighted the excellent working relationship between Krone UK and Pecks with a range of products allowing us to promote excellence in hay and forage harvesting,” Pecks Krone brand manager, Graeme Matthews told Farmers Guide.

“Current and prospective customers were invited, and we were able to showcase the full range of products in a working environment. Those attending saw first-hand how Krone products can benefit their farms with high productivity while creating the highest quality forage.  

“The collaboration between Krone staff and Pecks resulted in a high volume of sales and requests for follow-up where customers had seen the value of the Krone products.  

“We would like to thank all those who attended and special thanks go to F S Dann & Son Ltd for the use of an excellent location with a tremendous crop which contributed to such a successful day.”

Growing demand for contracting services

The family farm at Heckingham, near Norwich is a mixed enterprise with arable cropping as well as a herd of beef cattle and a flock of sheep.

“We make our own silage and use smaller scale equipment currently, including a Krone EasyCut 320 mower,” Olly explained. “The mower has proved excellent cutting forage on our own land and on the marshes, but there is growing demand for us to expand our contracting service so we need to consider larger models. 

“I’m here today looking at the two-rotor Swadro rake, as Pecks has a similar model in stock which we could have in time for the remainder of this season.

“The area in which we operate includes small fields with narrow access along lanes and through tight gateways, so we need something compact and manoeuvrable but which offers high work rates while harvesting on the marshes.

“That means whatever we buy must be capable of working in dense, wet grass while creating swaths that remain within the capability of our baler.

I’m also keen to invest in a front mower to pair with our rear-mounted mower to increase work capacity. Resale values are good and back-up from Pecks is great. We can always depend on Simon and his colleagues to help us out.”

Grass harvesting specialists

The family farming and contracting business includes a small amount of land farmed in-hand, while a general farm contracting service serving farmers and landowners in the local area is the main activity.

“We specialise in hedge cutting, grass harvesting and baling hay and straw,” explained Kevin. “We have always supplied hay but there is growing demand for our conventional baling service – mainly for equestrian customers – and we supply round bales for equestrian as well as farm livestock use. 

“We were at the demonstration looking at all the latest Krone kit and already have two Krone 280 mowers.”

Range is obvious choice

The family’s mixed farming enterprise includes a commercial Angus and Red Poll suckler cow herd, a flock of sheep, and a small amount of general farm contracting is carried out for farms locally.

“We try to keep our system simple,” explained James. “We diversified from farming some of our land with a successful campsite and apart from the livestock we grow spring barley for malting, grass and stubble turnips for over-winter grazing. 

“Our grass machinery fleet is all Krone. We started off with a second-hand tedder from Pecks which performed superbly, so now we also have a baler, bale wrapper, tedder and rake.

“The baler is four years old, and a new tedder was recently delivered so we came to the Pecks day to chat with the product specialists and gain tips and advice on getting the best from it as well as our other machines.

“Our location is quite a way from the nearest Pecks depot but, even so, we receive very good service. We regard Krone as the grassland machinery specialist, so with back-up available from such a good dealer, the range is an obvious choice.”

Fleet of Krone machines

“Dependable back-up from the Pecks team is also the main reason that livestock farmer, Matthew Hustler, chooses to operate Krone machinery.

Farming not far from the demonstration site, Matthew explained that he has a large suckler cow beef herd and depends on his Krone fleet to produce round bale silage.

“I’ve used Krone for approximately eight years, and my fleet includes EasyCut mowers, a tedder, a twin-rotor rake and a wrapper. It’s all well engineered and reliable, and the support from Simon and the Pecks service and parts teams is very good.” 

Looking for new rakes

“Most of what we do is contracting and we make a lot of hay and silage while also harvesting approximately 1,500ha of combinable crops and 1,000ha of sugar beet,” Matthew explained.

“We attended the Pecks demonstration to look at new rakes. We use an older single-rotor 420 to aerate straw in the swath, but we also have a 650–720 twin-rotor model for grass which is due for replacement and are looking for something which works a little wider.

“We are keen to stick with the Krone brand as the products are well-made and reliable, plus we appreciate the great service from Mel and the rest of the Pecks team.”

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