BIG TRACTOR PROVIDES ENOUGH GRUNT FOR DEEP CULTIVATIONS AND MORE
When farmer Stephen Watkins of Sheepcote Farm, Severn Stoke, Worcestershire was looking for a large tractor to handle extra deep cultivations for potatoes, he felt he only had one reliable choice and that was a John Deere.
“We went for the new John Deere 7250R and had one of the first in the country of this new range, said Stephen. “My Grandfather bought our first John Deere Model B in 1942, part of the World War II Lease-lend programme. It was a three wheeler and we kept it on the farm for many years, swapping it out for a straw-chopper for our 1075 combine harvester. The model B is still going strong today looking after the local cricket pitch. Since then we have always favoured the nine litre engines in the seven series John Deeres, they are excellent performers”
Stephen Watkins is a Nuffield Scholar and is currently Chairman of the Board of Trustees. He has an equal share with a business partner in a 2000 acre enterprise where the crop rotation and machinery is managed as a single unit. The aim is to achieve maximum return on investment. Sheepcote Farm, is said to be in its own unique microclimate, considered to be the earliest inland farm in the UK and Stephen claims that they “plant potatoes by Valentines Day, much earlier than anywhere else in the proximity.” Around 1000 acres acres of the farm is on the flood plain, 750 acres of which is down to arable and they grow some seventeen different crops for specialist growers on a Joint-Venture arrangement, including Potatoes, Spring Onions, Hand-picked peas for supermarkets, French beans, Lettuce, Herbs - such as Coriander, Mint, Dill, Parsley and Spinach. In addition, the enterprise grows wheat and barley crops.
“The flood plain land is very susceptible to compaction on the potato ground, commented Stephen. “we have to plough up to fourteen inches deep with a six furrow Gregoire Besson plough to get through the pan. Soil type varies considerably across the farm, ranging from sandy loam to heavy clays. That means we need some heavy-duty horsepower and the 7250R with its nine litre engine is just ideal for every application.”
In addition to a large 6 furrow, variable plough - each furrow can plough up to 20 inches wide, Stephen Watkins employs heavy-duty cultivation equipment such as a 5 leg Flexicoil subsoiler and a 3 metre Simba DTX to maintain soil condition for all the specialist crop requirements., all of which the 7250R with its AutoPower Transmission, is more than capable of working.
“Our driver tells me that with the new engine management and eco system on the John Deere, he has seen a very noticeable reduction in fuel consumption compared to our previous model and this is a Diesel only tractor, explained Stephen, “and when I drive it, I find it’s so quiet and comfortable. On road work, the engine throttles back to reduce fuel consumption while maintaining top road speed. it’s so quiet that I have to look down to make sure the engine is still running.”
Choosing his local dealer Tallis Amos Group, to supply his new tractor, “they’ve always been excellent when it comes to maintenance and service, commented Stephen., “I’m also lucky because two of their employees live not far from me and if I need anything urgent, they are always happy to drop it off on their way home.”
“I often take a look at other brands and get a quote just to look at comparisons, but I always end up going for a John Deere because you can’t fault the performance of the product and the after-sales service that I get from Tallis Amos, my local dealer.” he concluded.
