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Green Machines
In our quest to eliminate the use of chemicals, Avondale owner and viticulturist Johnathan Grieve searched all corners of the earth to find modern tools which could simulate natural manual farming operations.

He found Italian farming implement manufacturer OLMI. And one particular tool, the OLMI Brush Cutter caught his eye. This implement is used to weed mechanically between vine trees, and negate the use of expensive mulching, manual labour and harmful herbicides. So, Johnathan purchased this machine immediately as it would boost Avondale’s goal towards sustainable and green farming.

Such was the successes in terms of cost-efficiency and sustainable practice, that Johnathan decided to become the sole agent for OLMI in South Africa and now offers a full range of ‘sustainable’ implements. All the OLMI implements are designed to eliminate or at least reduce the farmer’s dependence on chemical inputs.

OLMI started manufacturing agricultural implements in 1965 and has developed an exceptional range of vineyard and orchard machinery with an even stronger reputation. It is a company that is forever striving to improve its existing machinery and to develop new concepts in support of green farmers.

The OLMI machine range is renowned for its simplicity in design, robustness and above all else its founding principle that they should be powered mechanically and not hydraulically. For these reasons OLMI machinery are ideally suited for African conditions.

If you are a conscientious farmer who wants to save costs and at the same time become more responsible towards South Africa’s green heritage, contact us, please.

Please contact: Johnathan Grieve, tel 021 863 1876, fax 021 863 1534, or e-mail: jdg@avondalewine.co.za


Brush Cutter

The brush cutter cleans on the vine stump and cuts off the weeds on a land strip for a width of 35 cm. t is suitable for hilly areas with steep gradients, since it is provided with a hydraulic movement to set the roll height, and of a hydraulic movement for the lateral work settings. The roll with cutting filaments features a 15° inclination away from the row direction, which allows it to perform suckering on the vine stump, without damaging the plant. It can be used in any soil type including rocky conditions.

The OLMI brush cutter is used for mechanical weeding in biological farming

Click here to download the attached PDF
 

Disk Hoeing Machines

The automatic disk hoeing machine is suitable for applications in between vines, and particularly suited for difficult conditions such as steep inclinations, compact grounds and the presence of stones. The work is performed through a 40cm diameter disk, on which four weeding hoes are applied. The working depth can be changed from 10 cm to 15 cm depending on the size hoe one uses.

It is possible to work in reduced spaces (50 cm from vine to vine) without compromising the excellent job the machine does.

Work in vineyards or orchards with low branches or cordon wires can be done easily without damaging the fruit.

Features:
  • Can be used optimally in steep inclined situations
  • Is suited for the use in stony situations.
  • It is particularly suited for the use in new established vineyards and orchards.
  • The hoe machine works automatically: a sensor is triggered when a vine stump is touched, where upon the hydraulic system is bypassed. At the same time the hoeing disc is able to move towards the row centre, passing the vine. Once passed it moves back automatically, thus eliminating all weed growth between vines.

There are various options that can be applied to this machine to suit your unique situation, as explained in the brochure.

Click here to download the attached PDF
 

Automatic Hydraulic Shoot Tipping Machine

The hydraulic shoot tipping machine performs the suckering of the vine trunk through the rotation of rubber belts.

Features:
  • It well suited for vines with high cordon wires.
  • The exclusive automatic mechanical re-entry system of the roller allows work with extreme ease and adapts to whatever plant or growing condition.
  • It is provided with two hydraulic movements in height and in width,
  • It is floating roll adjustable through a spring that allows a light rubbing of the vine trunks, thus removing the undesired growth.
  • The rotation is hydraulic and the rotor speed regulation happens through the hydraulic flux controller supplied as standard.
  • This machine is ideal for substituting task-intensive manual labour to clean the new growth on vines in summer, thus allowing the farmer to concentrate on other requirements

Click here to download the attached PDF
 

Leaf Remover Machines

PNEUMATIC LEAF REMOVERS  


The pneumatic leaf remover machine is a new innovative concept in leaf removal. It works by the emission of compressed air that passes through a rotor and strikes the leaves in the bunch zone. Performing a selected stripping that does not damage bunches and also cleans the bunch. This system allows one to perform the vegetation removal from the post-flowering or setting stage, and thus, contributing to the following advantages:
  • Improved ventilation in the bunch zone
  • Improved exposure to the sun
  • Improved fruit health.
  • Improved anti cryptogrammic treatment efficacy and reduction of chemical treatments.
  • Allows the cleaning of the bunches, of the flower residual and of the parasites presented on the grapes, this is an essential process to safeguard the grape health.
  • It has been demonstrated that the constant use of the Pneumatic Leaf Remover Machine contributes to obtaining a superior quality product.

This unique machine is essential to improve vine health and reduce the risk of Botrytis.

We have two different models available namely:

First model: Pneumatic Defoliator for wine grapes:

There are two of different models:
  • Single head – Works on one side of the tractor (effectively only doing half a row)
  • Double head – Straddle frame (fits over the vine row effectively doing a full row on one pass)
The working speed is 5 Km/Hr

Second model: Pneumatic Defoliator for Table grape trellised vineyards:
The technology is applied to an inclining hydraulic frame that allows one to work at above-head heights on trellised systems.

Features:
  • Thanks to the adaptability of the frame it is possible to adapt the machine to work on any type of overhead trellising system.
  • The air is directed from below the trellis upward and works through the whole bunch zone.
  • Working width: 135cm.
  • Working speed of 3 Km/Hr

ECO LEAF REMOVER MACHINE WITH ROLLS

The ECO leaf remover machine came about due to economical necessity as it much less costly and introduces completely different technology.

It consists of extractor fan that suck up the leaves towards two rotating vertical rolls; one of which is perforated. This last one holds the leaves and plucks them of, without picking up the grape bunches.

The ECO leaf remover machine has been designed to eliminate the basal leaves around the bunches with the aim to improve the microclimate inside the fruiting zone, and thus allowing in more sunlight and optimizes the penetration of product treatments.

The machine produces quick, simple and extremely effective results; it is run by its own hydraulic unit.

Features:
  • Works one side at a time
  • Removes outside leaves and not internal leaves.
  • Does not clean bunch
The ECO leaf remover is very competitively priced in the leave removal machinery segment.

Click here to download the attached PDF
 

Fertilizer Spreader Filler Machine

The fertilizer spreader filler machine was created due to the farmer’s need to place organic or inorganic fertilizers underground to avoid losses due to evaporation and the losses that occur when products are applied to the surface.
This machine is built to the farmer’s specific needs. Standard models are available from 1 to 2 m wide and have various different setups. Please see the attached brochure or e-mail us for enquiries.

 

Elevators (Forklift)

OLMI's elevator can be applied to any type of tractor through three a point attachment mechanism. The ground support is optimized from the sledges (standard on all equipment) or from the support wheels - applied to assure optimum stability during transportation and allows for loading on any gradient, since the weight doesn't burden on the tractor.

Other options:
  • Bin tipper
  • Hydraulic tip-up tank (in iron or stainless steel), an indispensable tool during harvest to facilitate the product's transport within the vineyard to grape trailers or trucks.
  • Hay bale spikes

Two models are available namely the Duplex and Triplex Compact Elevator.

Click here to download the attached PDF