We are doing oil changes on a tractor and a Gator housed at Maple Woods Vineyard. We have also started researching additional vineyard mechanization. Our V-Mech pre-pruner does a good job but it requires three people to operate: one in the tractor and two on the V-Mech. And, the two people in the V-Mech trailer are completely exposed to the weather. This is a machine that was designed for use in California. We are looking for a system that will mount on a tractor and while it will pre-prune only one row at a time, the single operator will be in the cab and out of the weather, allowing us to start pre-pruning earlier in the season. Furthermore, it will require only one person to operate. We won’t have anything for this season, but we hope to be able to find something we can buy and have ready for next season.
Equipment Maintenance and Research on Vineyard Mechanization are Indoor Tasks for This Week
