IS there such a thing as a bar for all seasons?
Summer weed kill and stubble incorporation, autumn tickle, weed kill and seed and winter and spring pasture renovation.
Well, you could mount such a case for the Canadian-made Mandako Storm, imported by former farmer Burke Perry, BP Imports.
It's a three section, two-row frame machine carrying twin disc hubs and following hydraulically-operated flat bar rolling cages, with disc options including straight, wavey, ripple or self-sharpening coulters.
The Storm is designed with a hydraulically-operated tilting frame and independent suspension on every twin disc hub, with hubs set on 125 millimetres spacings.
It can be used for vertical tillage or conventional tillage.
Disc gang angle adjustment is from 0-14 degrees independently front and back with 550mm Ingersoll discs providing 318 kilograms penetrating force to a depth of 20 centimetres.
According to Mr Perry, the machine can be set at the full 14o and with the concave discs you can achieve a full tillage operation allowing you to control tough summer weeds.
There's also the flexibility to set the front gangs at 14o and the rear gangs at 7o and you can do that on-the-go to suit different soil types and jobs.
Importantly, says Mr Perry, the two metre-plus distance between the front and rear disc gangs enables a thorough mixing and chopping for improved stubble incorporation.
Set depth at 25-50mm for a light tillage through to 175-200mm depth for incorporating lime or clay, etc, and is locked through a control valve to maintain depth.
"It weighs more than 13 tonnes, is very strongly built and can easily switch from mulching stubble to incorporating lime or clay, sowing a crop or renovating pastures, to enhance pasture production," Mr Perry said.
"I think it would the ideal machine for export hay producers who prefer the narrower spacings.
"But it also would be ideal for seedbed preparation for main crops."
Mr Perry said the Storm was a result of several years of engaging with Mandako Equipment manufacturers in Manitoba to design a machine capable of multiple operations in a wide variety of soil types.
"The design basically came from farmers I spoke with who wanted different options for different jobs," Mr Perry said.
"It has excellent trash flow and provides a thorough incorporation of soil ameliorants and stubble incorporation so you can eliminate burning.
"The flat bar rolling cages provide a finish that's level but rough enough to stop the blow from a wind event.
"I think it's unique machine adaptable to all soil types and its uses are only restricted by your imagination.
"It can be used as an air seeder in tow-behind or tow-between configuration and big hay producers are interested in that or you could broadcast seed behind the discs and in front of the rollers using splash plates."
Mr Perry said handling stubble was a major plus for the Storm.
"If you think about it, most guys cut low at harvest as a way to handle stubble for the following year's crop but it's a slow process and it hammers your header, effectively reducing its life," he said.
"By cutting higher, your harvest is quicker and it's easier on the header so you win both ways in reducing the chances of weather damage to the crop and you can keep the header for a couple more years before trading."