Planting seeds in the minds of farmers

The Spring Farm Machinery Show is the flagship event of the season for Clarke’s Machinery Group.

This was reflected in Clarke’s enormous tyre footprint at their traditional spot in the first arena of Cavan Equestrian Centre at the two day event. Broughan, McHale, Kverneland, Redrock, McConnel are just some of the ranges which swell the ranks of gleaming equipment, but it’s the Valtra range which dominates Clarke’s display.

“There’s a full range,” enthuses Jason Clarke of Clarke’s sales team, “from your A series right up to your range-topping Q series. So there’s something for everyone, from your small farmer, to your large farmer, to your contractor.”

Among Valtra’s many attributes, Jason says the user-friendly technology, reliability and appearance all appeal to potential buyers.

Top of that range is the Q305, of which a royal blue behemoth towers over us. It turns, or rather tilts, the heads of anyone in the vicinity.

Typically farmers are buying tractors with horsepower ranging between 115-200hp; while over that threshold up to the Q305 is usually where contractors come in. Jason has found the farmers mooching around the equestrian centre generally upbeat, which is conducive for sales.

“Milk price is up, beef price is up, so it is getting positive. When prices are good, it goes around in a circle and helps us all. A show like this, it’s all about getting the initial interest going and move from there,” he says.

Many people flock to Cavan Equestrian Centre just to see the latest machinery, others to give their farm-mad kids a day out, and others to idly indulge a daydream of buying a tractor. Amongst the thousands to throng the centre are percentage who will be interested in buying.

“People want to make life easier for themselves,” says Jason, noting that while tax and finance are considerations for prospective purchasers the tractor has to be of practical benefit.

“People are buying it to work it,” he says.

Clarke’s are Valtra suppliers for the midlands, sweeping from Dublin right over to Galway. Their 100-plus staff operate from four depots, including a new workshop in New Inns, built in 2022.

“Tractors are getting bigger and bigger and we needed more space so we had to expand our workshop, and that’s to provide for our customers,” he said noting the move reflected the importance they place in a long term relationship with their customers.

“Selling is one thing, but back up is the biggest issue,” he asserts.

Masseys

At the opposite end of the same floor stands the display of Martins Garage who brought an impressive range of machinery from their Bailieborough base.

The family business is particularly beloved by devotees of Masseys - of which there are very many. They supply the tractors for Cavan Monaghan Louth and parts of Westmeath.

“We have a lot of customers who have always had Massey and they are sticking with us.”

“This is Massey’s biggest on the 8S range,” Trevor says of the 305 model.

“She has a 7.4 litre AGCO Power engine - she’s about 290hp. We have 4.8t on the front PTO, she has 205 litres of hydraulic flow in the back end, so she’s big enough to any job any man wants to do, so for example a lad tipping trailers, power harrowing, whatever.”

Remarkably Massey have an even bigger model up their sleeve.

“They have another range now, the 9S which goes up to 425hp.

“There’s only one in Ireland I know of so far,” he says, noting it’s not available for retail yet. It’s hard to imagine the hulking presence of the 9S range given the muscularity of the 8s 305 before us.

“A lot of boys are coming in and the first thing they say is about the size of the machine. One lad said says, ‘Machines are getting bigger and we’re getting smaller’. He has a point too.”

In the Massey range they find their 8S305, 8S265 and 7S210 are proving very popular.

Three steps up to the bright and airy cab and you have a great vantage point from which to view the hubbub outside. A rear mounted camera ensures safer reversing too.

Perched in the driver’s seat, Trevor assures it’s easy to handle.

“You push that lever forward, the faster you go; pull the lever backwards, it starts to slow down.

“She’s Autoguide ready which basically means she will steer herself up and down the field,” he says.

This particular model has the highest spec available and costs approximately €200K plus VAT.

In addition to tillage farmers Martins Garage find the 305s are popular for haulage work.

“It’s on agri tyres at the moment, but you can get them with road tyres. This tractor does 55km/hr, so you’re not holding up the traffic whatsoever.”

He shares Jason’s view that farmers are feeling reasonably optimistic.

“Prices are going fairly well for milk, I think it’s going to be a good year for beef.

“We are hoping it’s going to be a good year.”

Trevor was happy with how the Spring Farm Machinery Show went.

“For any show - it’s like planting a seed. You put an idea in a lad’s head and hopefully he will come back and it will grow.”