Hydraulic Soil Sampler Made For Tough Soil Conditions

Hydraulic Soil Sampler Made For Tough Soil Conditions Healthy crops start below the surface, but accurate soil sampling remains a challenge for growers balancing time, cost and tough field conditions. To address these issues, WintexAgro developed a series of portable soil samplers, beginning with the basic 1000 model and including three larger models: 1000s, 2000 and 3000. These samplers use a hydraulic system to drive their probes vertically into the ground, while probe rotation is powered electrically. Unlike an auger, this system uses a true probe to produce cleaner, more consistent cores. “As the probe enters the soil, it rotates continuously, allowing it to cut through the soil rather than forcing its way down like a traditional hand probe,” says WintexAgro U.S. Manager Josh Grimm. “Because of this design, excessively muddy conditions are never an issue for the machine.” When the probe is extracted, an injector rod travels through the center to clean it, eliminating the need for brushing or oiling. The rotating action also enables the sampler to perform well in harder, more compacted soils and to penetrate light frost. The larger models are equipped with hydraulic hammers for deeper sampling in even heavier compaction and more severely frozen ground. They’re ideal for nitrate sampling or for challenging conditions at depths of 2 to 3 ft. In some cases, they can even penetrate concrete. Samples are typically collected as 8 to 10 cores and deposited into a stainless-steel soil container. This fits directly into a standard lab bag, making it easy to transfer samples for shipment and analysis. All models can be mounted on ATVs, UTVs, Jeeps or trucks. Mounting brackets and all necessary hardware are included, making the units ready to install and use. The samplers are widely used by Extension Services, universities, researchers, soil-testing labs, consultants and farmers, all of whom value their speed and consistency compared with manual probes. “Once operators switch from hand probing, there’s no going back,” Grimm says. The WintexAgro hydraulic components are manufactured in Iowa, and the samplers are manufactured in Denmark. All models are available across North America. The complete setup for the 1000 model starts at approximately $10,000, with larger models priced higher based on capabilities and configuration. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, WintexAgro U.S., 151 N. Long St., Bancroft, Iowa 50517 (ph 515-885-0330; support@wintexagrousa.com; www.wintexagrousa.com).

To read the rest of this story, download this issue below or click here to register with your account number.