potato lifter for compact tractor

[fen not fen]

I should shortly be acquiring a Kubota compact tractor for the market garden. It has a PTO that is (apparently) standard to all compact tractors. Does anyone know if there is a potatot lifter of any sort that will run on this?

[Clive.]

Hello,
I was vaguely aware of long established local machinery manufacturers/suppliers Tomlins of Old Leake, Lincs making/selling equipment for compact tractors.
I note from this link that that they seem to do a potato etc lifter. http://www.dwtomlin.co.uk/Products/details.asp?ID=472

I have no knowledge of how suitable it may be for your tractor..

Clive.

[Hortiman]

Hi Fen
I would suggest fitting a toolframe to the three point linkage and fitting one or more potato lifting ploughs to it, there is an example on eBay at the moment under Trusty tractor potato plough heading.
I have lifted masses of spuds in this manner.
regards
Hortiman

[richard p]

hi fen, the first thing to bear in mind is that you are getting a small tractor so anything hung on the back has to be matched to it, if you attach anything to heavy you can end up with the front wheels in the air, which makes steering a bit tricky.
you could look for old potatoe lifters which were made for the little grey fergy, there are basically two types one is an elevator/digger which is an inclined slatted elevator, it lifts spuds and dirt, the dirt falls through the slats the spuds fall off the top end of the elevator onto the soil surface behind the machine. the other is a spinner which is basically a spoked wheel which rotates accross the row and flings the spuds out sideways.
probably the best way of tracking one down is to ask local farmers for advice, few of them ever throw anything away