On The Go Soil Sampler

On the go soil sampler MISCELLANEOUS EQUIPMENT Miscellaneous 13-4-32 You can soil sample as many as 80 acres an hour with this new on-the-go 3-pt. sampler that takes 7-in. deep samples at speeds up to 8 mph. "I got the idea two years ago and it's taken me that long to patent it and find a manufacturer," says farmer-inventor Michael Rogerson, Elizabeth City, N.C., about his tractor-mounted sampler that's manufactured and distributed by Agricraft Company, Inc. "You can take samples at 8 mph if the ground is dry. If it's real damp, you might have to slow down to 6 mph. The 7-in. probe is mounted on the rim of the 24-in. dia. collecting cylinder. It takes a probe every 6 ft., 3 in. and we recommend taking several samples every hundred yards or so. Weight can be added to the unit as needed ranging up as high as 400 lbs. for heavy clay soils. After sampling a field, the unloading door automatically rotates to the bottom where you remove the soil into a sample box." The sampler cylinder is made of 3/16-in. steel. It rotates on an automotive hub. The bolt-on probe, which is cone-shaped from 1/2 in. across at the tip to 2 in. sq. at the base, can be replaced after heavy use. The lift arms adapt to either Cat. II or III tractor 3-pts. "It's far easier and much faster than any other sampler on the market. When you're done using it, it self-stands on its own lift arms," says Rogerson, noting that he's had interest both from larger farmers and from fertilizer dealers who rent the sampler out to farmer customers. Sells for $960. For more information, contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Agricraft Company Inc., Box 575, Wilson, N.C. 27893 (ph toll-free 800 334-2280 or 919 237-7031).

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