A huge onion harvest - Keiler 2, Keiler 2 Classic and Tiger for onions in action

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Efficiency and flexibility for onion and potato harvesting

More and more farmers and contractors choose Keilers for harvesting of onions.

In addition to the gentle separating units, the "one man" quick-change system for converting from ridge pickup to swath pickup in a matter of minutes is a particularly unique feature among potato harvesters. It's a practical solution for potato farmers who also grow onions and red beets and may need to change their pickup system several times a day. For example, this farm in Bavaria. Years ago, they rebuilt a ROPA Tiger for onion harvesting. In the meantime, a ROPA Keiler has been added to the fleet and is used flexibly for potato and onion harvesting.

Keiler 2 Classic at Manfred Völkl in Marching

Keiler 2 Classic at Manfred Völkl in Marching

The Völkl family runs a farm in the Kelheim district, in the hill country region.
The family cultivates potato, sugar beet and mainly cereals. After intensive evaluation of various potato harvesters in recent years, they decided to invest in a ROPA Keiler 2 Classic with two-pintle cleaning system. They were particularly impressed by the fully hydraulic drive, quiet operating noise, large sieve channel, gentle separation units and generously dimensioned platform for sorting staff with sun canopy. Manfred Völkl uses a Fendt 720 Vario and a CCI 1200 ISOBus terminal to operate the Keiler.

Keiler 2 Classic at Thomas Batz in Ettling

We visited our customer Thomas Batz and his Keiler 2 Classic

At the beginning of September 2021, we visited Thomas Batz and his family during the potato harvesting campaign. The family-run farm is located in the Eichstätt district, Bavaria. Besides grain and sugar beet, they mostly grow table potatoes as well as potatoes for seed stock. In total, the potato cultivation area is about 60 hectares.
For the sale of table potatoes, a careful harvesting is of the utmost importance. “Our table potatoes mainly go to washing and to various packing companies, for which our potatoes may not have any quality defects, especially any damage,” explained Thomas Batz. The same applies to the growing of seed potato as pathogens and viruses can penetrate through damaged tubers.
In order to meet these high demands on each potato crop kind, Thomas Batz chose the ROPA Keiler 2 Classic last year in 2020. Another reason for the farmer to buy a ROPA machine was the proximity to the company or to the dealer he trusts. "ROPA and its dealer, Bachmaier, with whom I have had only good experiences so far, are almost directly next door, so the decision to buy a ROPA Keiler was an easy one."
This year, the ROPA Keiler is completing its second harvest season at the farm of Thomas Batz. The farmer says that, he is satisfied with the technology, durability and quality of the ROPA machine. He has not yet required much customer service which actually was crucial to his choice. “The harvester has not caused any problems so far,“ explained Thomas Batz.

Keiler 2 Silver Edition - Johann Rettenberger, Dillingen

The Rettenberger family business is located in Dillingen in the beautiful Egau valley and consists of their own farm and of a contracting company.
Johann Rettenberger has chosen a ROPA Keiler 2 with 4-pintle separation system. The Silver Edition package prevents dirt and clogs from accumulating on the bunker.
With the ROPA Keiler, the Rettenberger family intends to harvest mainly starch potatoes as well as potatoes for chips on their own farm. In addition, the ROPA Keiler will be used in the contract farming to harvest crops of their customers.

ROPA Keiler 2 in use by the Gröschl family in Sarching, Bavaria.

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The Gröschl farm is located in the northernmost village south of the Danube.Here, potatoes and vegetables grow on the Danube meadows and on the western foothills of the Dungau. Mainly grown are potatoes for the production of chips and french fries as well as starch potatoes.

Delicious table potatoes are also sold regionally directly on site in the local farm shop. Due to early harvest and good storage possibilities, potatoes are available all year round.

Carrots and beetroots are grown to be sold on the fresh market. The vegetables can be stored fresh in their own cold storage until the next harvest. Thus, carrots or beetroots from the local farm are available all year round.

Sugar beet, winter wheat and grain maize are also cultivated to expand the crop rotation.

Bavarian TV program "Unser Land" visits Thomas Koller in Greilsberg

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Unser Land accompanied the potato loader and the Keiler 2 during operation at the farm of Thomas Koller in Greilsberg

Thomas Koller is a passionate farmer and a distiller.The products of the Koller distillery, as well as fresh table potatoes, are offered in the Greilsberger farm shop - a lovingly designed vaulted cellar. The product range includes:
Brandy, schnapps and liqueurs from his own distillery. They offer liquor tastings as well. The distillery uses Williams pears grown on the own farm as well as regional fruit, fruit from South Tyrol, the Wachau region and the Black Forest.
Firewood and wood chips come from the farm's own forest, and the farm's own spring water is used for the liquors. Moreover, steel front weights in various designs are produced in the forge at Kollerhof.

Keiler 2 - potato harvesting community Regensburg Ost GbR in Kiefenholz, Bavaria

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The potato harvesting association Regensburg Ost has been harvesting with a Keiler 2 since 2019. For Georg Kramer and Markus Peutl, maximum protection of the crop and harvesting quality are of a great importance. The potential of the fully hydraulic drive can be used on mostly homogeneous arable land along the Danube. Single sieve conveyors, pintle belts, deflector rollers and UFK can be individually adjusted for maximum protection of the crop. Moreover, the customers praise quiet operation and a significantly reduced noise level at the sorting platform.  

ROPA potato loader at Südstärke GmbH in Sünching

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Wolfgang Schnaiter, driver of potato loader and innkeeper reports on his experience with the ROPA potato loader at Südstärke GmbH, Sünching during the second harvest campaign. If you want to know more about the ROPA potato loader, he will be happy to welcome you live in the field during work or on weekends at his farm inn 'Zur Pause' with beer garden in Hermannsdorf. Farm inn 'Zur Pause', the Schnaiter family. For more information: mobile phone: +49(0)170 9652437