User Story: Fully adjustable Patriot ticks all the boxes

F C Palmer & Sons of Streatham Nr Ely farm around 4000 acres comprising their own two farms at Stretham and Haddenham and a number of contract farms. They have recently introduced a Cousins Folding Patriot for primary tillage, following demonstrations earlier in the year on a range of crops including leaks and potatoes grown on their rich Fenland soils.

When we visited they were min tilling after wheat on mixed land and it is the machine’s flexibility to accommodate different soils and crop requirements that convinced Luke Palmer it was right for their needs. “It’s the only system of its type that is fully adjustable. With working depths down to 22” and fully adjustable discs it perfect for what we need”.

It is anticipated that the Folding Patriot will complete around 3000 acres a year pulled by Palmer’s Caterpillar Challenger in combination with a front mounted Cousins Disc Tiller.

The Disc Tiller was developed for primary stubble cultivation. Used in conjunction with a rear mounted implement such as the Patriot combination cultivator it can optimise tillage operations especially single pass ‘min/max’ seedbed preparation. It has also proven effective in levelling ridges after potato lifting. Palmers have also developed an innovative and successful single pass ploughing technique using it in combination with a Lemken plough.

Caterpillar driver Chris Wright is also happy with the new kit and has “found nothing to dislike about it”. He is achieving a work rate of up to 10 acres an hour.