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Pressurized Tap Water Kills Weeds
Blast weeds with tap water, and you have dead weeds. No chemicals needed. That sums up the Caffini Grasskiller, and it was enough for John Staker to order one. He and his wife operate Ohio Valley Imports, bringing in specialized ag equipment not available in the U.S.
“Caffini is one of the companies we work
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Pressurized Tap Water Kills Weeds
Blast weeds with tap water, and you have dead weeds. No chemicals needed. That sums up the Caffini Grasskiller, and it was enough for John Staker to order one. He and his wife operate Ohio Valley Imports, bringing in specialized ag equipment not available in the U.S.
“Caffini is one of the companies we work with, and they offer exceptional products, including the Grasskiller,” says Staker. “Tap water is sprayed through rotating nozzles at 14,500 psi, destroying the weeds by stripping the collar and disrupting the root system. This is accomplished without harming the plant, the soil, or the environment.”
The Grasskiller can be equipped with either one or two telescoping arms and heads, both of which are adjusted hydraulically. Hydraulics also adjust the head position and the positioning sensor’s sensitivity, enabling use even around young plants.
Two head sizes are available, offering either an 11-in. control swath or a nearly 16-in. swath. The arms can extend nearly 12 ft. from the center of the tractor.
The Stakers began importing equipment for their lavender farm after recognizing a lack of equipment for the crop in the U.S. That led them to become sales representatives for a variety of companies that manufacture equipment for lavender farmers and other crops.
Staker is seeing the greatest interest in the Grasskiller by vineyard owners.
“Chemical use at the base of grapevines is a costly and time-consuming effort,” he says. “The cost of chemicals can be onerous for growers who spray year after year.”
In addition to high-value perennial crops such as grapes, Staker sees weed control along guardrails and on roadsides as another potential market. He plans to demonstrate the Grasskiller to multiple markets this spring.
“The demo unit we’ll be showcasing requires only a 50-hp tractor,” says Staker. “It’s a small unit, meant for small farms, and holds only 158 gal. of solution. “As models increase in size and go from one head to two, the price increases.”
In addition to Staker’s demo unit, Caffini offers trailer-mounted systems with capacities of 264, 528 or 792 gal. The arms and heads can be mounted on the front of the tractor or on the trailing units.
Staker admits that a drawback of the tap water weed control is the cost of the sprayer. His 158-gal. rear-mounted tank with a front-mounted spray head is priced at $52,999.
“The pumping system required to produce 14,500 psi is expensive and needs to be maintained properly,” says Staker.
Even so, Staker is confident the Grasskiller will find its market. He holds distribution rights in the U.S. and plans to establish dealerships. He advises Canadian readers of FARM SHOW to contact Caffini directly.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Ohio Valley Imports, 9790 Baker Hanselman Rd., Georgetown, Ohio 45121 (ph 513-266-4481; johnstaker@ohiovalleyimports; www.ohiovalleyimports.com) or Caffini S.P.A., Via G. Marconi, 2, 37050 Palů, Verona, Italy (ph +390459581100; info@caffini.com; www.caffini.com).
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