Machinery

: 28 September 2017; Hits: 7125

Soil testing improving farmers out put

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SoilCares expert explaining to farmers how soil testing scanner works. The soil testing equipment including scanners use infrared and Xray technology and provides results within 10 minutes.

Stationary soil testing laboratories, mobile laboratories and scanners by SoilCares Limited has enabled over 7, 000 farmers in not less than 13 locations in Kenya improve their crop and dairy farming productions since 2013 when the company started its operations in the country.

Working with the national and county governments, farmer groups, individual farmers and organisations, SoilCares apart from testing soil for farmers has managed to conduct 72 trainings for the farmers on how and why soil testing is key in farming.

“Currently we have over 25 successful stories of farmers sampled from across 13 locations in the country who practice horticulture farming, commercial and food crops production and dairy farming,” said Jacob Gathuru, SoilCares sales representative, Central Kenya during Central Kenya ASK show in Nyeri.

According to Gathuru, farmers currently have no need to collect and send soil samples to their laboratories then wait for days or even weeks for results, SoilCares scanners for example which are used in the fields provides farmers with real-time soil testing results, lime and fertilizer recommendations at a fee.

READ ALSO: soil steaming cuts tomato losses

“All our soil testing equipment including scanners use infrared and Xray technology and within ten minutes our scanners are able to give the farmer soil fertility reports,” said Gathuru.

Fred Onyango is a maize farmer for ten years on his three acres plot in Homa Bay County and a beneficiary of SoilCares products. After sometime he realised his maize yields started reducing and however much he applied synthetic fertilisers, there was no change till he met SoilCares.

“Since I tested my soil with SoilCares I have seen faster, healthier and up yields from three to eight bags of maize every season,” Said Onyango.

Sylvia Gakiiru has been a dairy farmer for 16 years in Meru County. Her fodder and food crops had started turning yellow whenever he planted them. After soil testing with SoilCares and applying the recommended inputs Gakiiru says her crops are thriving enabling her feed well her family and dairy cows.

Nakuru County farmer Stephen Karanja who has grown potato for ten years but just harvesting between 15 and 20 bags of potatoes each season. Soil samples from his piece of land taken to SoilCares and tested indicated his soil lacked nitrogen and potassium. NPK 17:0:21 was recommended which he applied and the result is that Karanja is now harvesting 50 bags of potatoes from the same piece of land.

I am extremely delighted by to have potato production increased courtesy of SoilCares’ soil testing services which I can now seek whenever I notice something wrong with my crops affecting production,” said Karanja.

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: 25 September 2017; Hits: 12868

Maize huller machine saves time for ‘muthokoi’ lovers

Kelvin Kigen of Favour Machinery and Auto Spares explaining how maize huller machine works during this year's Nyeri ASK show.

Muthokoi (maize without husks) lovers can enjoy making their favourite dish within the shortest time possible with Maize huller machine which removes the bran (outer maize grain layer) within five minutes.

This is opposed to traditional way of making the food which took more than one person in order to make the work easier and faster and it could also take more than an hour to remove the maize husks.

Maize huller polishes maize by removing the bran through friction as it passes through the chamber between the emery roller and standard size sieve. The operator will thereafter collect maize husks and muthokoi from two different outlets, explains Kelvin Kigen, the huller operator and sales representative of Favour Machinery and Auto Spares, Rift Valley region.

Maize hullers require low maintenance and lower operational costs and does not need any skilled labour force to operate the machinery. Superior quality emery roller polishes maize and removes the bran with ease and it lasts for years.

“These machines are specially designed to give high output with low power consumption,” said Kigen adding that all models are suitable to run by Diesel engine or electric motor.

Originally muthokoi which is a favourite dish among the Kamba community. According to Elimu Asilia Organisation on indigenous knowledge, making muthokoi entailed removing the outer skin of the maize grains by using a pestle ‘muthi’ and a wooden mortar ‘ndii’.

The maize were then put in a mortar for pounding, something which could take two people one hour to complete.
This means, with maize huller, only one person will be needed to do the work and it will take him not more than five minutes to complete saving 55minutes with limited manpower. Maize huller can polish up to three tons of maize in one hour.

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Sunday, 06 December 2020 Need one how much

: 25 September 2017; Hits: 21084

Simple device for trimming fences and weeds

Favour machinery and Auto Spares has introduced a new brush cutter that can trim one acre of weeds and unwanted foliage using half a liter of petrol only. The simple device suitable for smallholder farmers is a hand held powered multipurpose tool with 3.5 liter capacity engine used to cut Napier grass, trim fences, flowers, boma Rhodes, and shrubs. It is a big relief Smallholder farmers have been using slashers and pangas to remove weeds in their farms.

A brush cutter uses a metal blade that cuts through dense vegetation and tree trunks up to 4 inches thick. According to Kelvin Kigen who is sales representative at the company, brush cutters offer more power and versatility than ordinary trimmers and costs Ksh 25,000.

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Kelvin Kigen, a sales representative at Favour Machinery demonstrating how to use a brush cutter at the 2017 Central Kenya National Show, Nyeri County. PHOTO JAPHET RUTO

While using the machine, farmers are advised to wear personal protective equipment including steel capped safety boots (lace-up) and full face safety helmet with hearing and eye protection. Brush cutters have a specific cutting area meaning the user cannot just cut the vegetation from any direction. The blades of the machine rotate counterclockwise hence the user must move from right to left when cutting.

The cutting zone is from the top of the blade to 90 degrees left, so it is important to feed the blade into the brush or vegetation slowly, so the head is pressed against the material rather than swung at it. If you use a chopping motion to cut with a brush cutter, the machine may smoke and stop working because branches and other material may bind around the blades, causing it to overheat.

Brush cutters feature different blade attachments that allow you to cut a variety of materials. They’re generally durable and reliable machines, as long as they receive proper maintenance. However, the blade life depends on what you’re cutting and how often. For example, if you’re working frequently in rocky areas or cutting through hard stems or branches, you may have to change or sharpen the blade daily. Before each use, you should check the blade sharpness, because working with a dull blade shortens service life and can pose a safety hazard.

They are powerful enough to cut through overgrown brush that a lawn mower or line trimmer can’t handle. They also cut in hard-to-reach areas where larger machines can’t enter. However, most brush cutters are cumbersome to operate, and if you have to clear a large area, fatigue can occur. Most brush cutters have a straight shaft and anti-vibration features to reduce operator fatigue. Using a harness also helps control the machine and lightens the load as you work.

Brush cutters are powerful tools that carry some risks if proper safety procedures aren’t followed. You should never operate a brush cutter without a harness, nor should you use a brush cutter that isn’t equipped with a handlebar. The handlebar is what helps you control the tool, and it also serves as a barrier to prevent injury should the machine be knocked out of your hands. Never use the machine within 50 feet of other people.

Kigen can be reached on +254705466313 or +254722531778.

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