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Production - Sources of Rakes and Harvesters

Prepared by David E. Yarborough, Extension Blueberry Specialist, The University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Orono, ME 04469.  Revised February 2011.

Hand Rakes
The Hubbard Rake Company
1561 Mason Bay Road
Jonesport, ME 04649
Tel: (207) 497-5949
Email: hrakes@gwi.net
Website:  http://www.hubbardrakes.com/
Hubbard Rake

Hubbard Rake

Machine Harvesters, Pickers, and Winnowers
Bluemax Equipment Company
BlueMax website: http://www.bluemax-equipment.com/ 

Union Farm Equipment (Dealer in Maine)
1683 Heald Highway (Route 17)
Union, ME 04862
Tel: 1-800-935-7999
Email: chris@unionfarmequip.com
Website: http://www.unionfarmequip.com

Mechanical blueberry picker

Mechanical Blueberry Picker

Hydraulic blueberry picker: Width: 40-48 inches

The picker is the most efficient on the market and is completely driven by a hydraulic system.

Because of its exceptional width, the picker may hold 3 boxes to be filled at once.  Like the manual harvester, this picker also features a rotating brush at the front.

Hydraulic Blueberry Picker

Hydraulic Blueberry Picker

Maine Blueberry Equipment Company
257 Tibbettstown Road
Columbia Falls, Maine 04623
Tel: (207) 483-4156. 

The Emerson harvester is produced by Zane Emerson. It has a rotating head with a conveyer to bring it into a plastic box (holds 10 kg) behind it.

Emerson harvester

Emerson Harvester

J.M. Bouchard et Fils Inc.
741 Principale
St-Augustin, Quebec, Canada G0W 1K0
Tel : (418) 374-2342. 

The Bouchard Rake ( 80 cm head width) has a flat rake head that must be raised to empty into a box behind it (holds 10kg).  It is slower to operate than the Emerson harvester.

Bouchard Rake

Bouchard Rake

Doug Bragg Enterprises
96 Bragg Road
Collingwood, Nova Scotia Canada B0M 1E0
Tel: (902) 686-3254
Website: http://www.dbe.ca/blueberryharvester.htm 

Doug Bragg Enterprises Ltd. Mechanical Blueberry Harvester consists of a reel-type picking head. The head is side mounted to a tractor in such a manner as to allow the picking head to follow contours of the ground. The reel rotates within the head in the same direction as the tractor wheels. This rotation is at a speed in ratio to the forward motion of the tractor. As the comb type-picking bars rake the blueberries from the plants they are carried around the reel and deposited in a conveyor. This conveyor delivers them to another longer conveyor, which carries them to the rear three-point-hitch mounted loading platform. As the berries fall from the conveyor a blower cleans them. All units are equipped with an electric computerized controller. This controller sends it’s signals to an electric-over-hydraulic manifold and corrects the reel rotation speed according to the tractor speed. This harvester can be mounted on most models of tractors from 35hp and up.

The operation of this harvester requires two people only, one to operate the tractor and the other to handle the boxes of berries on the rear-loading platform.  These harvesters are available in single, double and triple head configurations.  These machines have been proven to reduce the harvesting costs as much as 50% and are more efficient than hand raking for product recovery.

Doug Bragg Enterprises Ltd. Mechanical Blueberry Harvester

Doug Bragg Enterprises Ltd. Mechanical Blueberry Harvester

Hayden Manufacturing Company, Inc.
50 Carver Rd., W. Wareham, MA
Tel: 1-800-294-0497 or 1-508-295-0497
Fax: 1-508-291-2577
E-mail: sales@haydenmfg.com
Website: www.haydenmfg.com/cranberry_harvesting/darlington_blueberry_
harvester.htm
 

For use on low bush blueberries, agile and easy to operate, self-propelled by either 4 HP or 5-1/2 HP Honda Engine, clean picking.

Darlington Blueberry Harvester

Darlington Blueberry Harvester

No product guarantee or endorsement is implied, nor is discrimination intended against other sources.

Information in this publication is provided purely for educational purposes. No responsibility is assumed for any problems associated with the use of products or services mentioned. No endorsement of products or companies is intended, nor is criticism of unnamed products or companies implied.

©2011

Published and distributed in furtherance of Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914, by the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, the Land Grant University of the state of Maine and the U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating. Cooperative Extension and other agencies of the U.S.D.A. provide equal opportunities in programs and employment.

Call 800-287-0274 or TDD 800-287-8957 (in Maine), or 207-581-3188, for information on publications and program offerings from University of Maine Cooperative Extension, or visit extension.umaine.edu.

 
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