Popular Post The Tractor Twitcher Posted February 25, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted February 25, 2021 Thought i'd post a few more of the photos i've taken over the past few years with my current Nikon DSLR camera of some of things i've been fortunate enough both photograph and write about since I became a full time journalist. It's certainly been a strange year or so with the pandemic and lock downs, and whilst I haven't been able to get out anywhere near as much as I normally would do, I'm very grateful to have been able to visit some very rare and interesting machinery to keep the pennies rolling in. Starting with this ultra rare Hesston 7730 forager I visited in Shropshire last year. The only example currently at work in the UK, and one of very few to remain in existence. 16 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tractor Twitcher Posted February 25, 2021 Author Share Posted February 25, 2021 Sticking with the maize theme, I photographed this New Holland CR9080 harvesting maize for pig feed in November 2018. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sipher172 Posted February 26, 2021 Share Posted February 26, 2021 4 hours ago, The Tractor Twitcher said: Sticking with the maize theme, I photographed this New Holland CR9080 harvesting maize for pig feed in November 2018. Was this in the UK? I didn't think there was any Maize grown for grain in the UK due to insufficient Growing Degree Days. Any chance you remember what yields they were getting? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CX820Joe Posted February 26, 2021 Share Posted February 26, 2021 I've seen maize grown for grain as well, do have some photos somewhere...very poor ones esp compared to David's photos. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tractorman810 Posted February 26, 2021 Share Posted February 26, 2021 Seen a fair bit last year round somerset way in my travels, all lifted via combine ,not that common mind normally , used to see a bit in cornwall as well , especially on the duchy of cornwall farms 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tractor Twitcher Posted February 26, 2021 Author Share Posted February 26, 2021 8 hours ago, sipher172 said: Was this in the UK? I didn't think there was any Maize grown for grain in the UK due to insufficient Growing Degree Days. Any chance you remember what yields they were getting? It was indeed Chris, North Lincolnshire to be precise. Nowadays it's a much more common sight in the UK because there's a lot more hardier varieties capable of being grown in colder temperatures. I know of quite a few farms now up into Yorkshire that grow it as a combinable crop for animal feed. There's a lot of stored energy in grain maize that is then normally crimped and added to livestock's diets. Whilst i'm not sure of yields the maize you see being harvested in my pictures is blown into a silo before being passed through a mill and then goes into an automated liquid feed system with other ingredients that make up the pigs diet. It's grown on the most challenging land on this farm where other crops don't prosper as much and can stand a decent dose of slurry and muck. It's harvested between November and February. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tractor Twitcher Posted February 26, 2021 Author Share Posted February 26, 2021 1 hour ago, CX820Joe said: I've seen maize grown for grain as well, do have some photos somewhere...very poor ones esp compared to David's photos. You're too kind Joe. Definitely more and more being grown for grain in the UK nowadays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tractor Twitcher Posted February 26, 2021 Author Share Posted February 26, 2021 1 hour ago, Tractorman810 said: Seen a fair bit last year round somerset way in my travels, all lifted via combine ,not that common mind normally , used to see a bit in cornwall as well , especially on the duchy of cornwall farms Loads now being grown for grain around here now around the South Yorks, North Lincs, and Notts borders Sean. Could probably count at least a dozen combines not far from here that are now seen in operation with a proper maize header. Most harvest game cover strips with a standard reel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tractor Twitcher Posted February 26, 2021 Author Share Posted February 26, 2021 Here's a tractor you don't see too often in the UK. A Kirovets K700A from the late 80s. Looking forward to seeing this tractor at work later this Spring. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
844john Posted February 26, 2021 Share Posted February 26, 2021 Don't know what it is about them David, but I've always had a bit of a thing for those, just basic, raw power I suppose! Looking forward to your updates on it! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tractor Twitcher Posted February 26, 2021 Author Share Posted February 26, 2021 14 minutes ago, 844john said: Don't know what it is about them David, but I've always had a bit of a thing for those, just basic, raw power I suppose! Looking forward to your updates on it! Incredibly primitive, and far from the most comfortable or easy to operate. Much of the technology in these tractors hasn't changed since the late fifties/early sixties. But you're right, there is just something about them, and they certainly look like they could pull a house down. Thanks John, looking forward to seeing it on Spring cultivation work hopefully next month. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tractor Twitcher Posted February 26, 2021 Author Share Posted February 26, 2021 Some of the first photos I took with my current Nikon camera were of one of Ashton Farm's Claas Jaguar 950 foragers at work in 2018. This particular forager started it's life as a pre-production/evaluation machine. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sipher172 Posted February 26, 2021 Share Posted February 26, 2021 3 hours ago, The Tractor Twitcher said: It was indeed Chris, North Lincolnshire to be precise. Nowadays it's a much more common sight in the UK because there's a lot more hardier varieties capable of being grown in colder temperatures. I know of quite a few farms now up into Yorkshire that grow it as a combinable crop for animal feed. There's a lot of stored energy in grain maize that is then normally crimped and added to livestock's diets. Whilst i'm not sure of yields the maize you see being harvested in my pictures is blown into a silo before being passed through a mill and then goes into an automated liquid feed system with other ingredients that make up the pigs diet. It's grown on the most challenging land on this farm where other crops don't prosper as much and can stand a decent dose of slurry and muck. It's harvested between November and February. Thanks for the info, that's really interesting. Defra and the other agencies I looked at don't seem to report any area of maize being grown as a grain crop in the UK. Maybe to small an area for them to survey still. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tractor Twitcher Posted February 26, 2021 Author Share Posted February 26, 2021 15 minutes ago, sipher172 said: Thanks for the info, that's really interesting. Defra and the other agencies I looked at don't seem to report any area of maize being grown as a grain crop in the UK. Maybe to small an area for them to survey still. You're very welcome. 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
844john Posted February 26, 2021 Share Posted February 26, 2021 6 hours ago, The Tractor Twitcher said: Incredibly primitive, and far from the most comfortable or easy to operate. Much of the technology in these tractors hasn't changed since the late fifties/early sixties. But you're right, there is just something about them, and they certainly look like they could pull a house down. Thanks John, looking forward to seeing it on Spring cultivation work hopefully next month. I remember seeing a video of one crossing a river in Russia, it looked like it was about beaten but then finally it managed to get across, and as it emerged it had a huge trailer on the back which you couldn't see initially as it was completely underwater...always impressed me that! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CX820Joe Posted February 26, 2021 Share Posted February 26, 2021 7 hours ago, The Tractor Twitcher said: You're too kind Joe. Definitely more and more being grown for grain in the UK nowadays. I thought I had posted them up here somewhere, but can't find them. I did have 2 DSLR's at the time, but limited lenses and I remember it was a bitter grey day so not ideal for photos. Was glad to catch on film as I'd never seen Maize being combined before, but they definitely weren't 'Power on the Land' contenders! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tractor Twitcher Posted February 26, 2021 Author Share Posted February 26, 2021 9 minutes ago, 844john said: I remember seeing a video of one crossing a river in Russia, it looked like it was about beaten but then finally it managed to get across, and as it emerged it had a huge trailer on the back which you couldn't see initially as it was completely underwater...always impressed me that! Big 15 litre V8 lump under the bonnet, not massively powerful compared to the engines fitted to similar sized articulated tractors built in the west, but still provides immense pulling power. 🙂 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tractor Twitcher Posted February 26, 2021 Author Share Posted February 26, 2021 8 minutes ago, CX820Joe said: I thought I had posted them up here somewhere, but can't find them. I did have 2 DSLR's at the time, but limited lenses and I remember it was a bitter grey day so not ideal for photos. Was glad to catch on film as I'd never seen Maize being combined before, but they definitely weren't 'Power on the Land' contenders! I've only a couple of lens for my DSLR, a mid-range zoom lens, and a wide angle lens which I use mainly for in-cab shots, and at indoor shows where space is at a premium. I'm still learning how to get the best from it every day I time I use it. Still lots to figure out on it since I bought it. 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catkom3 Posted February 26, 2021 Share Posted February 26, 2021 1 hour ago, 844john said: I remember seeing a video of one crossing a river in Russia, it looked like it was about beaten but then finally it managed to get across, and as it emerged it had a huge trailer on the back which you couldn't see initially as it was completely underwater...always impressed me that! I doubt any modern marvel would be capable of that John, Very impressive, Regards Joe. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tractor Twitcher Posted February 26, 2021 Author Share Posted February 26, 2021 JCB Fastrac 185-65 and K-Two spreader being loaded by this matching JS130 excavator back in 2018. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tractor Twitcher Posted February 26, 2021 Author Share Posted February 26, 2021 Challenger MT765C and Simba Culti-Press working behind the Fastrac and spreader back in 2018. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tractor Twitcher Posted February 26, 2021 Author Share Posted February 26, 2021 Fendt MT943 Vario and George Moate bed-tiller at work in the Vale of Pickering in 2019. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tractor Twitcher Posted February 26, 2021 Author Share Posted February 26, 2021 Case IH Magnum Rowtrac 380 CVX and Amazone drill at work in the Lincs Fens in 2019. This tractor has since been replaced with a John Deere 8RX. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
844john Posted February 27, 2021 Share Posted February 27, 2021 10 hours ago, catkom3 said: I doubt any modern marvel would be capable of that John, Very impressive, Regards Joe. That's the one thanks Joe! No, you're right, I don't think all these electrics and ecu's would appreciate being submerged like that! Lovely pictures again David! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tractor Twitcher Posted February 27, 2021 Author Share Posted February 27, 2021 4 hours ago, 844john said: That's the one thanks Joe! No, you're right, I don't think all these electrics and ecu's would appreciate being submerged like that! Lovely pictures again David! Thanks ever so much John, most appreciated. 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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