Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/283151
30 APRIL 1, 2014 GOOD FRUIT GROWER www.goodfruit.com www.rdoequipment.com Fit, Form, and Function: The 5EN Series The John Deere 83 – 101 horsepower 5EN Series Narrow Tractors: proof that you don't have to compromise between fit and function. If you need a high-powered, no-compromise tractor that can snake through narrow rows or other cramped spaces, look to the John Deere 5E Narrow Series. Available in both cab and open-station configurations, and with either 2WD or MFWD, the 5EN Series was designed for vineyard, orchard, and nursery producers who need a tractor that can pull heavy carts, handle fully loaded sprayers, or lift heavy disks and tillers … all while offering a full complement of premium features and available options. Ask about our custom cut downs for high density orchard applications. See your local RDO Equipment Co. store for details. OREGON HERMISTON 78200 S Hwy 207 541-567-8327 800-357-7925 PENDLETON 5401 NW Rieth Rd 541-276-6341 800-422-5598 WASCO 95421 Hwy 206 541-442-5400 800-989-7351 WASHINGTON PASCO 1707 E James 509-547-0541 800-735-1142 SUNNYSIDE 140 Midvale Rd 509-839-5131 800-745-4027 The engine horsepower information is provided by the engine manufacturer to be used for comparison purposes only. Actual operating horsepower will be less. John Deere's green and yellow color scheme, the leaping deer symbol and JOHN DEERE are trademarks of Deere & Company. Customer Focused. Quality Driven. from RDO Equipment Co. those on the platform. Ground pickers were trained to pick from the bottom of the trees upwards so that work- ers on the platform could reach down to help them out with the middle of the tree if necessary. He thinks picking from the ground first as a separate operation makes sense in a situation where much of the fruit can be reached from the ground. The company is hoping for a 20 to 30 percent increase in efficiency after the trial period. The harvesting system has a conveyor belt where two employees can sort out culls before the fruit goes into the bin, so fruit quality should be better, too, Whitman said. Initially, experienced workers were reluctant to use the machine, he said. "They're there to make a living, they've done it forever and don't want to conform to a new style of picking. It was a challenge to get them to cooperate." When one vocal person began grumbling, the attitude spread to the others. Whitman said there's a huge difference between working as an individual picker and working on the plat- form. Pickers on the machine had to work more as a team and be aware of when they should dump their buckets of fruit onto the conveyor in order to avoid backups. "The team aspect is huge when you're picking to a single conveyor," Whitman said. "You have to understand your role as a team player." He found that H-2A foreign guest workers, who were new to picking, adapted to the machine more easily than skilled workers. "They come together, they live together, and they form a team faster," he said. "Their lack of experience really helped us form them into the pickers we wanted. That was an advantage for us. There's always one guy who emerges as a leader, and he keeps everyone in check." The orchard ran two machines at the same time, and a healthy competition emerged between the two crews. The harvesting gear can be removed from the Van Doren/Littau platform so it can be used for other tasks. Whitman said he saw the greatest gains in efficiency when using the platform for pruning. Workers stand on the platform and use hydraulic loppers. Green Acres Van Pelt said he tested three Bandit Xpress machines in a number of blocks with different systems, spacings, and varieties. He was hoping for a 20 percent increase Using three Bandit Xpress platforms, Green Acres Farms was ahead of schedule with its Gala harvest last season, for the first time ever.