Harod wanted to make a unique harvesting experience for the customer, owner and driver.

The quality expectations of customers and consumers have changed beyond recognition in the last decade; the impact of a poor harvesting system, machine and or driver is often ignored but a change here can mean a step-change in quality and profitability. Mostly, the last person to look at the crop before the consumer and the individual with the most impact on quality is the harvester driver.

A chance meeting and the subsequent recruitment of a baby leaf harvester driver with excellent engineering skills was the catalyst for us to build our first prototype machine in 2014 and test our ideas. After two prototypes we had learnt enough to manufacture our first production model “Emerald” in 2016.

Our brief remains the same today as it was at the beginning:

• Harvest the whole leaf and look after it
• Reliable machines and service
• Build to last
• High output
• Create the best seat on the farm

We now have machines operating in Spain, Italy and the U.K. and are looking to increase our production capacity to reduce lead times.

Harvest the whole leaf and look after it

Half leaves, leaves with no stalk, bruised leaves……are all things that consumers, customers and farmers don’t want.

The output capability and design of our harvester enables it to be kinder to the crop and harvest smaller leaf including its stalk. The knife is able to be very close to the ground generating a good stubble and enhancing yield. The crop is blown onto the knife, lifting it up and away, reducing losses. The conveyors are high-speed and wide. The sock reduces wind-blow on discharge.

A messy stubble is the other half of a messy product; cut leaf left in the field means cut leaf in the product and less yield.

“With our Harod we now pick and choose the best times to harvest. It is no longer a full-time job.”