2019 - Volume #43, Issue #4, Page #15
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Tined Harrows Weed Standing Crops
“I’ve always used a rotary hoe for early season weed control. However, it leaves a 3 to 4-in. strip between hoes for weeds to grow. The Treffler tines have less than an inch between them, so I get good coverage and weed control.
“I really like the fact that I can adjust tension hydraulically from the tractor seat. Each tine has a spring in spring that is attached by cable to a pipe. A light spring in the center maintains minimal tension. Once the light spring bottoms out, the heavier spring starts to increase tension. As the cables wrap up around the pipe, tension increases, and the tines dig deeper.
“It only took me about 15 acres of use before I felt comfortable with the Treffler. I pull into a field and run a short distance, get off, and check how deep the tines are going. Then I adjust accordingly. A gauge on the Tined Harrow lets me see how much tension is on the tines. If I change tension for changing soil conditions or weeds as I go across the field, I can change it back to the previous setting quickly as field conditions change back.
“I can set the tines for shallow work when the seed is sprouting so I don’t break the sprout off. Later in the season, I can get weeds in soybeans as tall as 12 in. by setting the tension higher and going slower through the field.
“My TS 920 is 30 ft. wide, and its 324 tines weed twelve 30-in. rows. It double folds the wings to a 10-ft. transit width. The tines go over rocks and obstacles without a problem while weeding in the rows and between the rows.
“I liked the Treffler so much that I became a company rep for Ana and Jos Pelgrom, the manufacturers who are based in the Netherlands. They built the Man@Machine company by using farmer representatives called M@M Networkers. These are farmers who have purchased the equipment.
“We carry parts and do demonstrations for a particular region. I cover southern Iowa, Illinois and Nebraska. They have Networkers in 15 states and Canada. If you have questions, call me at 319 461-9008 or email me at sawport@gmail.com.
“Treffler Tined Harrows are available in a wide variety of sizes, from the 30-in. wide Tiny Treffler to the 100-ft. Treffler on a carrier being introduced in North America in 2020. The Tiny Treffler is being field-tested at the Rodale Research Farm and can be pulled by hand in small plots or by machine. The 9-ft. TS300 comes in both machine and horse-drawn versions.”
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