Supplied by Ilminster based Loxston Ground care , Country Conservation, who offer a countryside stewardship service to a wide range of users, have recently added a Reform 101hp, four-stroke, diesel, hydrostatic Mounty 100V tractor to their fleet.
Proprietor Jon Weatherhead says, “We did compare the Reform with a direct competitor but chose the Mounty as we felt it was the more dual purpose machine. We were also reassured by the level of after sale support on offer and dealer support based locally to our business. We will use the Mounty to cut grass and mulch scrub on wildlife sites throughout Devon, Cornwall and Somerset. It will also be used for other agricultural services we provide.
We maintain steep sloping ground at risk of becoming overgrown with invasive plants, typically gorse, thorn and bracken and work with the National Trust, Wildlife trusts and landowners who have countryside stewardship agreements in place, to manage the land in a manner beneficial to wildlife. The tractor will be equipped with flail mulchers to enable this vegetation to be cleared. We also have implements which can be powered by the 100v to cut grass, apply fertiliser, harrow and roll as well as operate post driving equipment for fencing. Having the Mounty means we can now offer roadside embankment maintenance as a service and the machine is also ideally suited for solar farm work.
Since taking delivery in mid – June the Mounty 100V has proved itself to be a strong platform from which various implements can be operated. It is more powerful than our previous tractor which means we can use a Muthing 2.2mtr flail with ease in heavy grass growth to improve both output and productivity. The crab steering function of the tractor and the ease with which the steering angle can be set and then replicated on the return cut at the opposite angle, is a tremendous time saving and safety feature delivering much improved stability on steep slopes. Also the visibility around the tractor when driving is better as you are slightly higher up with no obstructions to the side. This means potential damage and downtime from objects hidden in vegetation is reduced”
