16 minute read
rom a desk to the farm
From a desk to the farm, how strawberries changed Matija’s life
Matija Brinjak, 29, started out as a medical technician. This year he will harvest his third crop of strawberries. He will also add vegetables to his rotation. Here is the story of a first generation farmer in Veliki Banovac, Croatia.
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Sanja Rapaić - Agroklub Matija Brinjak
60 days after planting, Matija harvested 250 kg of sweet strawberries, his first harvest ever.
In his small village, Veliki Banovac, in the vicinity of Pakrac, Matija Brinjak is the only farmer that grows fruit. Without any experience he started growing strawberries. He financed everything with his own funds, and the effort invested in strawberries paid off in the first harvest. The young farmer harvested 2 tons of sweet fruits. This year, he is expanding production to watermelon and lettuce, and his plans are not over.
"If someone had told me ten years ago that I would be farming, I would have answered 'no way.' Now I’m growing fruits and vegetables on my open-air farm, ”says Matija.
In his family, Matija is the first generation of farmers, as he puts it, "the one who broke the ice." Although employed by the Inclusion Promotion Association in Pakrac, Matija fell in love with outdoor produce two years ago when he decided to try fruit growing.
The yield of two tonnes of strawberries exceeded expectations
“In late 2017, I opened a small family farm, and in the spring of 2018, I planted the first 4,000 strawberry seedlings. Although strawberries are planted in mid-August, I decided to experiment with spring planting and planted Clery and Joly strawberries in early April. Already after 60 days I had my first harvest. The yield was 250 kg of strawberries, which exceeded my expectations as it is known that strawberries have to be well rooted first. “The first year I only irrigated the soil, without adding nutrition,” recalls Matija. The first steps were difficult for Matija because he lacked experience and knowledge. Next to running the farm, he spent a lot of time seeking expert advice and learning the trade. The hard work payed off, last year the Matija family farm had their first real strawberry harvest.
"Considering the number of seedlings and the weather conditions being extremely unfavourable for strawberries, I am more than pleased with last year's crop. We picked 1,600 kg of first class strawberries and 400 kg of second class strawberries. This is a great yield from an area of 2,000 square meters. We planted eight rows, each 85 meters long, almost 700 meters of total length,” says the young farmer. Next to the strawberries, Matija is tackling new challenges this year.
Matija is the only small farmer in his area that grows fruit and vegetables.
Watermelons in western Slavonia
"Strawberries remain our most important crop, but we are looking in to expanding our crops. We will try our luck with growing watermelons and lettuce. We plan to continue to increase production, but in a context where we can do all the work within the family, ”says Matija, whose wife, parents and brother work at the farm. During harvest season, there are always two to three extra pairs of hands to help .
They do not plan to hire workers for now. They started the whole business with their own funds, which, says Matija, was a big amount, so it will take time some time to see the return on their investment.
"Since I do not have enough arable land or a sufficient number of seedlings, I am not eligible to apply for any of the measures in the Rural Development Program. So everything I do, I finance myself. Fencing and securing the field was a big part of the investment. Next to that, I bought low tunnels, plastic foil, the strawberry plants and other materials needed to start our farm. At the end, the amount I put in starting our operation went up to several thousands of euros,” says Matija.
Fresh strawberries straight from the farm
Although many farmers complain that selling products directly from the field or farm is a problem, Matija thinks otherwise.
"Strawberries are a beloved fruit, everything I produce, I sell at my doorstep. Often there is only 2 hours between picking the strawberries and selling them to the customer. The fruits can mature on the plants, instead of being picked in a green state and ripened in big storage facilities.”
Growing fruits and vegetables in open air comes with one big disadvantage. As a farmer, you can’t control the weather. Matija is looking into growing strawberries in a greenhouse to avoid bad weather conditions. This spring he invested in a 90 square meter greenhouse in which he will grow Clery strawberry plants, an early producing variety. “The greenhouse will contain at least 2.000 strawberry plants, planted in gutters and watered using drip irrigation. I also want to invest in another smaller greenhouse of about 70 square meters for lettuce, peppers and tomatoes,” explains Matija. The investment is planned in steps, due to the amount of money that is needed. The ultimate goal, he says, is an annual production of 2,500 kg of strawberries using 5,000 strawberry plants, 2,500 kg of watermelon and 500 kg of lettuce grown outdoors.
"If my finances allow me to increase production, I think of greenhouse production in the first place because outdoor production is too much of a risk," says the young farmer. He proudly points out that young people do not leave his small town. Within one kilometre there are 5 to 6 family farms active in the town of Veliki Banovac.
"Most farmers from this area are engaged in arable farming. For now, I am the only one who is growing fruit, and as of this year, also in vegetable growing. If there are farmers who want to experiment with growing strawberries, they are free to contact me for tips. I spent a year collecting information and learning and I would to share my knowledge with colleagues,” he says.
Own produce above imports
When moving into this business, Matija visited a dozen farms to obtain at least some useful information, advice or guidance through conversations with seasoned growers, but did not find any goodwill.
Matija can count on his wife Maja and the rest of his family for help and support.
2.5 tonnes of strawberries are sold directly to the end customers.
The strawberries are sold at home in a stall he built himself.
"I had a hard time getting the information, so I had to learn almost everything myself. I want such a bad relationship between domestic farmers to change. We do not need to look at each other as competition because the more quality our own farmers grow, the less imported products will be on the market. Lower prices for imported fruits and vegetables are not always a draw for customers. For example, last season strawberries were sold at retail chains at a price of 10 kuna per kilogram (€1,34/kg), while the price of my strawberries was 25 kuna (€3,34/kg). Still, everyone who tried them became loyal customers, who are coming back for more,” says Matija. The difference between strawberries picked 14 days ago, while still green, and matured in cold storage and homegrown, fresh strawberry picked 2 hours ago is incomparable, and customers taste the difference. That’s why they are coming back to Matija’s farm. According to Matija, the price of fruits and vegetables is a much less important factor than quality.
EU help is needed
For Matija, publicity is an important issue. Although he sells all of his harvest in the booth in front of his house, a larger reach would mean more opportunities to sell. As his farm is to small to qualify for EU funding the young farmer wonders if the EU has no other possibilities to help small farmers like himself. A possibility would be more handsdown help like publicity campaigns for local fruits and vegetables or a network to spread knowledge.
“I started out with nothing but my own money, no bank loans or EU funding. This make me vulnerable. I gathered quite some knowledge during the previous years but in the end, if I run out of money, I will have to stop with my small farm”, Matija explains. “I understand that large corporations have easier access to funding because they have a team of lawyers working for them, but eventually it’s young farmers like me that provide a future for the ru
ral areas in Europe.” Matija Brinjak (29) is a young farmer in Veliki Banovac, in the vicinity of Pakrac, Croatia. 3 years ago he started growing strawberries, this year he will also be growing lettuce and watermelons. He farms on 1,2 hectares of sloping ground. Together with his family he harvested 2,5 ton of strawberries last year, all of which are sold at their doorstep. The young farmer is planning to invest in greenhouses to reduce the risk of bad weather on his crops.
You can follow Matija on Facebook
Source: Agroklub
25 years of Fendt Vario
Stepless driving with tractors has become a habit. In fact, so many farmers are used to it that manufacturers have started to develop all-mechanical transmissions that have all the characteristics of a variable transmission. Twenty-five years ago, nobody could have surmised that the introduction of the Fendt Vario would have such an impact. But the groundwork for the Vario transmission was laid much earlier.
Antoon Vanderstraeten Antoon Vanderstraeten, Luc Wittewrongel, André Xhonneux, Kevin Vervoort, Fabrikant
The story of the Fendt Vario starts with Hans Marshall, a pioneering engineer, who worked in the Marktoberdorf plant. Marshall was toying with the idea of developing a transmission that could distribute the engine’s full power to the wheels, without loss and without engine torque interruption when switching between gears. The new transmission combined hydro-mechanical drive technology. The idea evolved and Marshall submitted an 18-page dossier in which he discussed the principle behind the new transmission in elaborate detail. Fendt was awarded patent no. 2335629 on 13 July 1973.
Ten years later, after a lot of tinkering and testing, the company finally completed its first prototype. In 1986, it was scaled up to an industrial project. The project was led by Hans Marshall and Richard Heindl. The first working prototypes of the Vario transmission were integrated in Favorit 600 tractors. Unfortunately, Hans Marshall died during this period.
The development of the new transmission also prompted a need for parts that had not yet been developed. Initially this posed a problem as Fendt’s suppliers had neither the knowledge, nor the machinery for the intricate work that was required. Fendt therefore decided to invest in the required machinery itself, gathering a team of experienced mechanics so that the parts could be produced in-house. This is one of the reasons why the Vario transmissions are still produced in the brand’s own factory.
The first real field tests with the new Vario technology were done using an 824 Favorit, which was fitted with the new Vario transmission. The tractor set to work, with a 7-furrow plough, a 6-metre wide mower, a harrow, and a tipper. The tests went on day and night. During the ensuing winter months, the test tractor was used in combination with a dumper in a mine. As time went by, the transmission was continually adjusted. At the end of 1993, the new technology was subjected to a comparative test. A Fendt 824 Turboshift and an 824 Vario were used for the same job, under the same circumstances, with the same driver. The outcome? After ploughing 1,000 hectares, the Vario consumed 3,500 litres less diesel! Other tests were subsequently performed, with different combinations, amounting to 40,000 hours of testing.
The Fendt 926 Vario was finally revealed to competitors and visitors at the 1995 Agritechnica trade show.
926 Vario and ML200
After the introduction in 1995, the Fendt 900 Vario series was launched to market one year later. The first 900 series comprised four models, with engine power ratings in the range of 160 (Favorit 916) to 260 hp (Favorit 926). Under the hood, Fendt installed a MAN D0826 6.8 l six-cylinder turbo-charged engine with intercooler. The Vario transmission had two ranges, from 0 to 36 km/h in the first range and maximum 50 km/u in the second range. The electronically-controlled transmission facilitated the elimination of the gear levers from the cab, which were replaced with a joystick. This was another major innovation, that Fendt pioneered.
The first Vario transmission was assigned type number ML200, as a tribute to Hans Marshall. The box is built around a split power line, which supplies power to the hydraulic and mechanical transmission components with a planetary gear set. The ring gear powers the hydraulic components, the satellite gears transmit power to the sun wheel. This gear in turn supplies power to the mechanical
The Fendt Vario is a popular tractor for soil dumpers. This 926 Vario is still used on a daily basis.
A new 942 was also featured in Steeno’s comprehensive demo.
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1973
900-reeks Gen6 is launched
The 1000th Fendt 1000 was produced
whopping 250,000 Vario transmissions have since been produced.
Launch of the 1000 Vario, with which Fendt broke through the 500 hp barrier.
The new 800 and 900 Vario series followed one year later
Fendt launches 2 new Vario series, the 300 Vario and the 500 Vario
The Fendt 939 Vario is launched to market.
Introduction of the 936 Vario, the most powerful Fendt tractor at the time.
With the “Vario 2000”, Fendt launched a complete Vario series, comprising 11 models, ranging from 86 to 270 hp.
The Fendt 700 Vario series was launched.
Presentation of the first Fendt 926 Vario at Agritechnica
In the autumn, the 824 Favorit Vario was compared with a 824 Favorit Turboshift. The advantages of the Vario transmission were obvious!
First extensive field tests with a 824 Favorit, fitted with a Vario transmission, in Czech fields.
The first transmissions were integrated in Favorit 600 test tractors.
First working prototype
Patent no. 2335629 for the fundamentals of a transmission with hydromechanical drive technology. components. The hydraulic pump, which is powered by the ring gear, has a maximum swing angle of 45° for forward gear and 30° for reverse gear. Two hydraulic motors ensure that the tractor starts moving from a standstill. The faster the tractor driver, the faster the hydraulic power decreases, and the faster the mechanical power increases. The tractor is 100% mechanically driven as it hits maximum speed.
The front wheels were powered by the ML 200 transmission using a mechanical transmission on the rear axle. The coupling between both axles could be engaged and disengaged from the cab.
942 Vario and TA300
Following the launch of the 926 Vario, Fendt took a bold leap. the speed rises above 10 km/h, the split drive of the front and rear axles, both axles are still connected
Twenty-five years later, the risk proved absolutely worth it. The newest addition to the Vario family is the new 900 series that was launched in July 2019. For the first time, the top of the range model, the 942 Vario, has broken the 400 hp barrier of the 900 series. The entire series comprises 5 models, starting with the 930 Vario with 296 hp and ending with the 942 Vario 415 hp. There is a minor overlap with the 1000 series, the 1038 Vario has an output of 396 hp. The VarioDrive concept that had been previously implemented in the 1000 series has now also been applied to the 900 series. Thanks to is distributed to the front and rear axles. The basic premise of the VarioDrive TA300 transmission is the same as the ML200. The MAN 9 l 6-cylinder motor powers the hydraulic pump, via a planetary gear set, which supplies the two hydraulic motors with oil. The oil flow is split between the hydraulic motors with a T-coupler that acts as a simple differential. At speeds under 25 km/h, the 900 Vario is permanently in 4-wheel drive mode. When the front axle drive decreases and more power is transmitted to the rear axle. As is the case with the ML200 transmission, the mechanical transmission ratio increases in line with the vehicle speed. Besides
the VarioDrive the engine’s power by means of a strictly mechanical transmission. This minimises slip with Fendt Torque Distribution.
When the transmission control system detects slippage of one wheel or both wheels of an axle, the mechanical coupling between the two is closed causing both axles to work together and eliminating the slippage. The TA300 transmission has one range that can go stepless from 0 to 60 km/h.
AN ICON
The design of the first Fendt Vario series was remarkably similar to that of the existing 800 Favorit series. The straight hood with a slight curve at the front contributed to the sturdy and rugged looks of these tractors. The wide rear fenders with rounded corners only enhanced the tractor’s imposing silhouette. Whereas the exhaust still protruded through the hood of the 800 Favorit series, it was moved to the right A pillar of the cab in the first Varios. To the left, Fendt provided an inlet tube for fresh (dust-free) air. The position of the exhaust and inlet of the also enhanced the rugged, sturdy looks of the tractor. Another characteristic of both types was the sound of the engine. Connoisseurs can recognise the combination of the heavy engines and the whistle of the turbo from afar.
The combination of their rugged looks and the distinctive sound of their engine has turned both these types into icons in their league.
The newest generation on show during a beet harvesting demo.
Left: the ML200 transmission of a first-generation Vario. To the right, the last-generation VarioDrive.
This Fendt 926 Vario was the first of its kind to be imported in Belgium. Hervé Mylle sold it to a farmer in Wallonia, who subsequently traded it in for a 936 Vario. A tractor with a backstory!
Type Power
Engine
Transmission
Lift capacity
Tyres front
Tyres rear
Weight
926 Vario Gen1
256 hp
MAN 6 cylinder 6,8 l.
ML200
9.180 kg
540/65 R34
710/70 R38
8.250 kg
942 Vario Gen6
415 hp
MAN 6 cylinder 9 l.
TA300
9.750 kg
IF 710/60 R 34
IF 900/60 R 42
11.300 kg
