As one of the largest agricultural machinery dealers in the UK, Lloyd Ltd Carlisle is delighted to be working with local sustainable crop management business Eco Crops Ltd to provide the key machines to support their operations.
Eco Crops Ltd, led by experienced Crop Management expert Neil Watkins, have recently invested in an impressive range of new New Holland machines from Lloyd Ltd Carlisle: a FR780 Forage Cruiser and T7.225 Blue Power and T6.180 tractors. Neil commented, “These machines are essential to deliver the high quality crop harvesting service we offer our customers across the UK. This is the core of our business as we plant, manage and harvest perennial wood crops on behalf of farmers to help them get the most from their land either for their own use on farm or for resale. The sustainable and fast-growing nature of willow and poplar makes them ideal for providing a regular source of eco animal bedding or clean, uniform eco biomass heat wood chip and special eco ramial mulch chip, and we work closely with our customers to help them maximise their yield. We also sell the end product as animal bedding, wood chips and eco briquettes for heating. It really is a full end-to-end approach, using UK-farmed crops to minimise environmental impact.”
Neil added, “Investing in these machines is a key part of delivering this high quality service and the 130FB willow coppice header is second to none in harvesting the crop as efficiency and productively as possible. We have worked with Lloyd Ltd over the past few years so it was the logical approach to continue to invest with them as their exceptional support through both the sales process and after sale with their excellent engineers and parts supplies is exactly what we need for extra peace of mind.”
The forage harvester and tractors are already being put to work by the Eco Crops Ltd willow harvesting team, harvesting young three-year old willow crop for their customer Mark Brennand of Park House Farm at High Harrington. Neil and Mark have worked together for three years to develop the 70 acres of willow crop which is on exposed land right next to the coast. Their partnership has resulted in a surprising additional benefits over and above the planned earnings for the farm from Neil selling on the virgin willow wood chips for eco animal bedding, eco mulch, eco briquettes and eco fuel for biomass boilers on farms and commercial sites.
Mark commented, “I was told by many people I would need to downsize my sheep stock when I planted the willow, but I still have the same number and the willow has actually benefitted them more and enhanced the grassland under the crop thanks to the microclimate the willow has created. Where we are is open to the elements, but I have been able to keep them out all year round as the willow provides excellent shelter for them and keeps them dry. There also seems to be something in the willow itself which really helps the lambs. We’ve tried bolus and minerals supplements in the past, but the willow has improved their quality and they have been bigger and better, resulting in better prices for them.
Neil has been great to work with – we’ve planned together, planted together and we are going forward together. He cares about what we do and gives us excellent back-up to ensure we get what we need from the crop. We are going to try it as bedding for our bacon pigs this year given the cost of straw so we are always trying to get even more from the crop and make our straw go further and last longer.”
The machines themselves are a vital part of achieving that goal. Mark and Neil have already been impressed with their performance. “The quality of the ramial mulch from the forage harvester has been excellent”, said Neil. “It is uniform, clean and there are no lumps, which makes it ideal for spreading back onto the land from the bedding system.” Mark added, “It has really impressed me with its efficiency and the speed – it is a lot quicker than our previous machine! Even with the Eco Mode on which conserves fuel it is really productive and it is flowing better, not having to stop-start across the headlands. I couldn’t believe the speed when Eco Mode was switched off, but even at full power it was accurate and efficient, which is exactly what we need!”
John Marston, Lloyd Ltd Carlisle Dealer Principal, is delighted to be continuing the company’s relationship with Neil and his company. “We have seen a significant increase in the popularity of the New Holland Forage Cruiser in the past couple of years and it is exciting to see it being used on a different type of crop from normal.
Neil has taken a truly innovative approach to working with local farmers on achieving a more sustainable resource which they can either use themselves or sell on, and it is the quality of the yield the FR machine and specialist header produce which is an integral part of this method. We are looking forward to supporting Eco Crops’ machinery requirements as they continue to develop and grow their products and services.”
For more information on the New Holland machines, contact Lloyd Ltd’s branches across the north of England and south of Scotland, or visit www.lloyd.ltd.uk, and for more on Eco Crops Ltd, contact Neil Watkins via www.ecocrops.co.uk
