Shillingham Vineyard in East Cornwall was planted in 2021 and now covers just over 50 acres, growing five varieties of grapes. The plan is to make wine on site, open up to vineyard tourism and build its own brand, with Shillingham and its surroundings as the inspiration. Alexander Ramsden explains why the team chose the compact Trimax Force 145.
A Compact Solution for Vineyard Work
In a vineyard, the mower has to fit the rows. “We have purchased the Trimax Force 145,” Alexander says. “It’s nice and compact, really solid build, and it’s ideal for our row widths here.”
Mulching Prunings for Sustainability
The Force is primarily for mulching. “Primarily it’s for incorporating the prunings back into the soil, part of our drive really to be more sustainable here,” Alexander says. Quite a few of the prunings are around 80 to 90cm long, so a fine mulch matters. “There’ll be a good range in size, and that’s where the Trimax comes in. It’ll completely eliminate any of the larger prunings in the alleyways.” In the summer months, when the team needs to keep growth in the alleyways under control, the Force will be used for that too.
Proven Trimax Reliability
Shillingham ran a Trimax Warlord before. “We found it an incredibly reliable piece of machinery,” Alexander says. “We found that it cut very, very efficiently, really enabled us just to work.” With that experience behind them, the team bought the Force 145 through their Trimax dealer, Vincent Tractors, after contacting the local representative. “We found the overall experience a real breeze, to be honest.”
A Strong Recommendation for Vineyard and Orchard Use
Alexander sees the Force as a good fit for similar operations. “I think if you’re working around orchards, any sort of tight spaces, I’d say absolutely go for it. I mean, it’s just a really, really reliable piece of kit.”
