A vintage South Otago combine is not ready to be put out to pasture quite yet.
Country folk have been known to grow fond of their old workhorses — whether four-legged or mechanical — and Waiwera South farmer Tom Whiteside (73) is no exception.
As a young farmer not long set out on his own account, in 1978 Mr Whiteside bought his first combine harvester, to crop about 20ha of wheat and barley.
The self-propelled 1965 Claas Mercury was second-hand, but it was a big step up from his father’s old headers, drawn behind a tractor.
It served him well until 1986, when the growth of his farm ushered in a bigger machine, and he sold the Mercury on to a Mossburn farm.
Mr Whiteside tells his story:
"Well I sold it to him for $1200 but, over the years, I would sometimes spot a corner of something green sticking out of a shed on our way to Te Anau for holidays.
"About three years ago, my curiosity got the better of me, and I stopped by to have a yarn with the same farmer."
It transpired the trusty old harvester was still on site and protected from the elements during the intervening years.
"I made him an offer and, eventually, he got back to me and said yes. I bought it back for $1200, so I feel like I’ve got a good deal."
In "perfect" harvesting weather yesterday afternoon, Mr Whiteside gave the old-timer a run out alongside its modern counterparts, bringing in a wheat paddock on the edge of Waiwera township.
"It still runs great. I like to bring it out each year to shake out the bird’s nests and rats, and just for a bit of nostalgia."
He said a "fair few" things had changed since the Claas first took to the field in 1978, although the essentials of bringing in a crop remained the same.
"We’re all arable now, harvesting about nine different crops on 600 hectares.
"This, a 60 horsepower combine, could do about six tonnes an hour, where the modern ones are 400 horsepower and do 40 tonnes an hour. Of course there’s a bit of a cost difference — a new combine back then was about $16,500. Now they come in anywhere from $600,000 to $800,000 and more."
The other big change was comfort and a bit of safety.
"Modern cabs you’ve got air conditioning, comfortable seats, stereos and sound protection. This ... your ‘cab’ is protective goggles, a facemask, and earmuffs, and the open air.
"Rolling it out from time to time just helps remind you how far things have come along."
-- RICHARD DAVISON
