Dewhurst Brothers operate a hydroponic lettuce growing operation near Morrinsville. Some years ago Kerrick provided advice and supplied Bruce Dewhurst with a PTO driven pressure pump for a crop sprayer and a separate crate washer. The units were constructed on the farm by their friend Bruce Conning.
Kerrick and Dewhurst Brothers have an ongoing relationship with Kerrick’s Steve Cobbett providing specialist advice on drain nozzles for cleaning the inside of reticulation pipes in the past. One of the issues faced by these hydroponic growers was finding a more efficient way to clean debris from picking crates and seedling trays once they had been used, so that they could be returned to circulation. Consequently they upgraded and modified their crate washer using rotary booms and nozzles supplied by Kerrick.
The crate washer is a hydraulic driven circular table that can wash 6 crates per minute (a “slip drive” on the hydraulically driven table and safety covers surrounding the rotary booms ensure operator safety). It has now been modified to wash not only the produce crates but also seedling trays using a simple bolt on tray holder. Bruce says the new rotating washer heads are amazing and consequently big labour savings are achieved.
A video of the unit in action can be seen below.