Vital Power Phos 7-21-0

Three months ago, Ramón Belmar (the sales manager of Zoberbac in our area, Castilla-La Mancha, and follower of our blog) proposed us to carry out a test with one of his key products, the VITAL POWER PHOS. He told us the result is going to be really positive, so we didn't doubt to perform this experience... the first part of the test is finished and we are going to publish the result in summer after harvesting. At the moment, we would like to show you more things about this product and company.

Zoberbac (its office and main store are in San Pedro de Ribas-Barcelona) is a company specialised in crop nutrition and protection (it has been working for 30 years making innovative products). This company has been creating innovative products for the agriculture; their products are present in more than 25 countries and it even has a delegation in Mexico.

On this occasion, we sprayed the VITAL POWER PHOS (Ammoniacal nitrogen 7%, Available Phosphate (P2O5) 21%, Zinc 0.2% more Organic acids: 7.4%). It is a complex fertilizer composed of organic orthophosphate enriched with zinc, which guaranties the immediate contribution of high-availability phosphorus. VITAL POWER PHOS is chemically combined with organic acids (Humic acids, fulvic, humin and Carbohydrates) with abundant exchange radicals which protect the phosphorus in soils and makes it four times more efficient than other products in its range. It is the unique existing molecule Phosphorus as orthophosphate complexed with organic acids with U.S. Pat.

As a result, the Phosphorus is assimilated in all temperature conditions, pH, Calcium accumulation level,... in this way, we avoid deficiencies of Phosphorus and we achieve our crops can grow maximally with a quick root development and guarantees blooming and fruit setting in cereal. If you want to apply in wheat or barley, you have to spray it before tillering. It is very important!

The dose is:

• Cereal: 20-30 l/ha.
• Corn: 60 l/ha.
• Rice: 30 l/ha.
• Horticultural: 40-60 l/ha.
• Vineyard: 60-80 l/ha.
• Potato: 100 l/ha.

As Ramón told us, the efficiency and profitability of VITAL POWER PHOS are absolutely proved in the previous crops and other plants like fruit trees, rape, olives trees,... as lots of his customers tell him every day, as well.

From this blog, we encourage you to use this product... we are sure the result will be excellent.

Versión en español.

Joaquín Herminio Tribaldos (Twins' Farm)

A new tractor test... crushing vine shoots

One day at the last Christmas when we were sowing, we spent one day with our friend Helio Catalán in his neighbor field, who was testing a new Kubota M8540 Narrow (Kubota España lent him this tractor to carry out a real test without any terms) as you can see in this viedo. Thanks to this, we could spend a few minutes to see it and how he crushed vine shoots with the Comage TRS-3H-VS 1500 crushing machine. We visited him a year ago in the same vineyard, but that time he was picking up vine shoots with a cage to burn them after that. Helio published an extensive report about this tractor (part I and part II) in his blog, but we would like to describe more information about his jobs in the vineyard.

The most important features of Kubota M8540 Narrow are:

• Kubota V3800-Di-TE3 4V engine with 3,769cm3 and 4 cylinders, E-CDIS direct inyection system and turbocharged.
• Maximum power: 76HP.
• Tank capacity of 78 litros.
• Nº of gears: 15/15.
• Soft powershuttle reversing transmission.
• Max. lift capacity at ball ends: 2.300 kg.
• PTO: 540/540E.
• Integrated and sound-proofed safety cab with low noise level.
• Pump flow rate of 61 l/min (open center) and 2 hydraulic remote valves.
• Maximum speed: 37km/h.
• Trelleborg TM700 tyres: 380/70R28 and 280/70R18.

Regarding the  crushing machine, it highlights because it has a hydraulic supply to avoid stones and it doesn't has clogging because it can rotate in both directions. In FIMA, we were talking with the boss of General Agrícola (a company which manufactures this crushing machine) about this machinery and he told us that it can capture and crush a pen... we will do this test the next time!. This crushing machine can cut vine shoots and, besides, it can tear them (it is another important feature, in this way, vine shoots can rot easily).

As for Kubota M8540 Narrow, we couldn't test it but we could listen its fantastinc engine sound, see its reduced steering angle with the Bi-speed system activated and the fantastic soft powershuttle reversing transmission (we think these three characteristics are what identify Kubota). On the other hand, this tractor has a lot of things which can be improved, e.g., its gearbox because it doesn't have the basic Hi-Lo system and the gear shift is rather crude. The tractor gets 540 revolutions of P.T.O. (with the 540E configuration) when its engine is working at 1,826 r.p.m... we didn't like this feature because we think it is too high, isn't it?

Finally, the price. All good or bad features are justified by the tractor price. If it is appropriate, the tractor will be a good option for farmers. Otherwise, if it is expensive, we think it will not a good idea to purchase. In this case, we consider the price (we think it is indicative) is very expensive regarding features of the tractor.

Versión en español.

Video:

Pictures:

Joaquín Herminio Tribaldos (Twins' Farm)

FIMA 2014: Erme, MX and SISP-Gearboxes

Finally, the last post about our FIMA series, and  we have left for the end, two French companies: MX and Erme. MX has supported our blog since the first moment and we can rely on them. Regarding Erme, this is a company we met with our book, and at this time in FIMA they were absolutely interested in cooperating with us, with their products and their support, therefore, you will find future posts talking about its fantastic garlic machinery... Thanks to both companies for your attention, you were very pleasant with us.

In relation to their FIMA stands, we have to mention that MX, a company of loaders, had an interesting place. They had a loader simulator(which had been shown in the last edition of Agritechnica, where we could enjoy it) with their best loader model the T410. With this simulator we could test all the loader movements, together with the Joysticks the farmer can configure in their tractor... It was an extraordinary integration of the loader functions, as well as its third function of disengaging in an automatic way.

According to the Erme, their stand was really slight... It was a pity because their products worth it, they only had one part of their neumatic sowing... They sent us some photos about their machinery to allow us to know them. There, we could have a good conversation with Patricia, the Exports Department Manager, she told us that they have returned to Spain with lots of expectation... It will be grateful to see farmers with their fabulous machines, the majority of the first machines used to sowing garlic was theirs.

In the end, we would like to mention a small company, also a French company, called SISP-Gearboxes, they sell transmissions, hitchs, chains, ... they are robust components of good quality upon first sight. Besides, they showed so much interest in our blog, we appreciate that from here, since some Spanish companies are not interested at all in our blog given that the position of their brands on the Internet is not important for them.

Versión en español.

Joaquín Herminio Tribaldos (Twins' Farm)