Organic dairy farmers, orchard and vineyard growers all share a passion for soil and crop health. We applaud their efforts – it’s a commitment 365 days a year.

The demand for organic dairy is growing fast (both local and abroad). People like to know what is in their food, the impact it has on their health and the health of our environment. We respect products that are more sustainable, support animal welfare and promote food safety and employee welfare. 

Organic dairy farming is pesticide and herbicide free, with free-range cows on a diet of fresh green pasture. Any little top-up is natural, grass-based hay and silage with a small amount of organic feed crops.

While farming organically is a lifestyle and a passion, it still must stack up financially, with a stronger payout for the efforts.

For dairy farmers, maize grown on farm is a way to boost animal feed supply. When well-managed it also helps reduce feed costs and wastage. But how do you bring the aspirations of staying organic to life? Innovative machinery becomes crucial to herbicide-free business practices and our TRV Inter-row Cultivator is a smart solution. 

Manufactured in Denmark, the TRV is great for a wide range of conditions. The mechanical row control senses and protects plants, while eradicating weeds. Because the machine is modular (3 x 2m sections) it stays perfectly aligned and the sensor steering is very accurate.

The TRV is built around a double-frame where cylinders controlled by an auto-steering system move the boom with sections from side to side (+/- 20cm). The TRV is also equipped with two stabilizing discs that help keep the cleaner stable.

Depending on the weed infestation there are different till heads to suit. TVR is a best in class, made in Denmark and imported directly to FarmShop to save our customers money (by removing the middleman).

Mechanical weed control is essential for organic orchard and vineyard growers too.

For Moy Hall vineyard in Martinborough, one ingenuity to be herbicide free was the investment of an Italian-made Fischer Mower from FarmShop.

Owned by the McArthur family, Phil McArthur is impressed with its performance and the savings he achieved because of our direct import philosophy. For organic farmers the economic argument must stack up when investing in machinery and this single piece has eradicated expensive chemicals and is easy to operate. “Without sprays, each row requires careful management with weeding under-vine and mowing - the Fischer is great, it’s precise, gentle around the plants and fits in well with our sustainable business philosophy.” Phil says.

Founded over 50 years ago, Fischer mowers are reliable on any type of terrain. 

The key benefit is the hydraulic adjustable width, which is ideal for inter-row, under vine mowing. The ability to widen the mower allows up to 30% productivity benefits when mowing the headlands – simply widen and mow more in each pass.

The GL4 models have two adjustable wings fitted with hydraulic sensors; the operator sets the wings to the desired mow width and the hydraulic sensors, softly and accurately guide the mower wings around the vine/tree. All the operator has to do is drive - the mower does the rest!

The BV2 models are direct drive (no belts) and have an adjustable deck which can be altered during operation. This gives the grower the option of mowing various row widths - great for orchards with different crops. The extra low-profile deck allows the mower to pass under low hanging fruit without causing damage.

It also means the mowing strip can be as narrow as the operator chooses.

Fischer mowers are very heavy duty with a gearbox rated for up to 120hp. The mower blades are particularly robust with double wing tipped flail blades.

Crop damage and fruit marking is eliminated due to the mower’s exceptional stone protection across all different orchards and conditions – again, adjustable to suit.

Another great feature is the ability to mount a swing arm on the side of a tractor for moving directly under electric fences without having to turn off the voltage! The hydraulic sensor is sophisticated enough to detect and move around a pigtail or fibreglass electric fence post.

Finally, Italian-made Fischer Mowers have their own hydraulic power pack to give the perfect result every time regardless of the tractor from which they are operated. 

For those after something more traditional, we still carry plenty of excellent rotary hoe options.

Give us a call for advice, we would be delighted to help!