PaulChristenson said:
It turns out all the Orchard/Vineyard John Deeres are all Goldonis...No Antonio Carraros...
Tractors designed for vineyards: John Deere introduces diminutive models to accommodate narrow...
By Franson, Paul
Publication: Wines & Vines
Date: Saturday, March 1 2008
Kenwood, Calif. -- Most people associate John Deere with mammoth tractors and combines in vast fields of wheat or corn, but the iconic American company has just introduced its first small tractors designed specifically for vineyards, nurseries and orchards.
"We have had small tractors," said John Deere product manager for specialty tractors John Barry, "but none designed from the start for these uses."
The tractors are manufactured by John Deere's European partner since 1986, Goldoni Technology of Modena, Italy, with Deere input. The new tractors are painted in classic Deere green, not Goldoni red, and the engines in most come from a General Motors subsidiary.
The tractors were introduced at a meeting for vineyard mangers at Landmark Vineyards in Kenwood, Calif. The winery's owner, Michael Calhoun, is the great-great grandson of company founder John Deere.
Four models were on display. Three are similar, and designed for vineyards and other field applications, while the other is a tiny unit for nurseries and greenhouses.
The smallest model, 20A, has a width of only 32 inches and a wheelbase of 39 inches. Powered by a 21 horsepower, two-cylinder Lombardini 954-cc diesel engine that complies with tier IV standards, it incorporates an unusual articulated design that gives it a turning radius of only 4 feet. Its four wheels are equal in radius. It costs about $14,000.
The other three tractors are aimed squarely at the vineyard and related applications. "They were designed for the ground up for vineyards and orchard business," Barry said. They are the 76F (F for fruit), 85F and 100F, the number referring to the approximate horsepower of the turbocharged 2.7-liter VM Detroit Diesel engines.
These tractors feature up to 24 forward gears, allowing them to deliver power while traveling at less than 1 mph to 20 mph. The three-point hitch has 5,500 pounds of lift capability and an adjustable rate control for lowering and raising the hub. The hydraulic system has a 10 gpm flow rate, powerful enough for usual implements.
The 76F tractor is 53-inches wide, the others 57 inches, and all have a turning radius of 9.5 ft. All the tractors are low--the F series is 83 inches high to the roll-over bar top. A cab is optional for the F models, and includes air-conditioning and heating.
The F series costs $36,000 to $41,000. The tractors have a two-year, 2,000-hour warranty. Get more information from johndeere.com/ag or local John Deere dealers.
