Page 50 - Grapevine Jan-Feb 2020

Around The Vineyard

“Once the size of the grape harvester is deter-
mined, look for a harvester with on-board destem-
ming and sorting,” says Willms. “On-board sorting
equipment has evolved recently and continues to
be a focal point of the mechanical harvesting func-
tion. With on-board sorting, you lower the amount
of interaction between material other than grapes
(MOG) and recently harvested fruit. Just as impor-
tantly, the sticks, leaves and stems are left in the
vineyard to be worked back into the soil. Providing
MOG free grapes with low maceration is the goal,
even in challenging post-frost or rotten fruit condi-
tions. Ultimately, with the ability to automatically
remove the MOG, you increase the ability to deliver
your harvest in a more efficient and timely man-
ner.”

“Adding to their affordability and usefulness fac-
tor, harvesters can often be used as over-the-row
tractors as well, making them functional for year-
round use,” says Oliveira. “The picking head can
be removed from the tractor base of the machine
and be replaced by different attachments like a
pre-pruner, leaf remover or multi-use sprayer.”

Oliveira tells The Grapevine Magazine that new
VINEYARD MULCHERS developments have shown up in automatic steer-
ing and on-board yield mapping as well. The auto-
Custom Built • Built To Last matic steering is guided by a vineyard’s physical
layout and landscape properties, while on-board
Whatcom Manufacturing’s Mulch Spreaders are specifically engi- yield mapping provides the grower with compara-
neered for fast, easy & precise mulch application in your vineyard. tive, year-to-year data identifying the parts of the
Our Spreaders are available in multiple sizes with numerous vineyard that are cropping heavier than others.
options and features to accommodate all of your application needs. Vineyard managers then use this information to
make well-informed decisions about pruning, thin-
ning and fertilizing for the following growing sea-
son.

Owning and running a harvester does require a
bit of maintenance simply because of the number
of moving parts involved, and since harvesting is a
time-sensitive task, you don’t want to run the risk
of breakdowns. Seasonal maintenance is always
recommended, including belt and chain tighten-
ing, greasing all bearings and bushings, and annual
maintenance of the on-board engine.

Phone: 360-354-3094
info@whatcommfg.com
Website: www.whatcommfg.com

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