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Making better use of the land expands Canadian business
Spring 2015
Since 1949, Annapolis Valley Peat Moss has been successfully harvesting and shipping sphagnum peat moss, a specialty crop that’s used as a natural, organic soil conditioner to help regulate moisture and air around plant roots. The product is bought by greenhouses and nurseries for use as a soil additive, and also used in Japan for growing rice. More than 5,000 acres of the company’s peat moss is sold to greenhouses worldwide — the majority in the United States, but also in Japan, Australia, South Korea and occasionally Europe.
After years of growing peat moss, soil becomes acidic and crops should be rotated to make better use of the land. So, as the peat moss industry remained stagnant, the company decided to repurpose the land where the moss is grown by planting cranberries and blueberries.
In 2001, Perfect Berries Limited was started to specialize in small fruit growing on farmland in Aylesford in Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley — located between the North and South mountains just 10 minutes from Annapolis Valley Peat Moss headquarters. But, in order to grow a successful cranberry and blueberry business, the soil had to be man-made.
“There is no natural soil for these two types of fruit to successfully grow,” says Henry Endres, president of both companies. “The cranberry and blueberry plants need acidic soil along with a clay base.”
Laser-guided equipment perfectly leveled the soil to provide even drainage, and then a clay bed was added to retain water. After the field was built, drainage and irrigation systems were installed, using Doosan DX180LC-3 and DX225LC-3 crawler excavators purchased from Nova International, the local Doosan construction equipment dealer in Nova Scotia.
“There was no close river that I could draw water from, but there was a hill that runs through the valley that we could get rainwater from,” Endres says. “The water that comes down through the valley needs to be stored in reservoirs/ponds so we can flood 200 acres throughout the year.”
The Doosan excavators were put to work by creating 25 acres of ponds, all 20 feet deep, to irrigate the fields. Through the closed system, any excess water runs into the ditches, creating a properly watered fruit.
Why choose Doosan equipment?
After working with Nova International
for more than two years, Endres decided to give Doosan equipment a try, and, so far, he has been impressed with his machines’ functionality, operator comfort and ease of maintenance.
Endres has also been pleased with the performance and visibility of the Doosan DL220-3 and DL200TC wheel loaders — particularly the optional rearview camera, which he uses to load and harvest peat moss. The DL200TC (tool carrier) model has a parallel-lift linkage system — providing good forward visibility — and is paired with a quick coupler to easily change attachments.
“When hauling peat moss, most other loaders didn’t stand up to the demand,” Endres says. “Doosan has larger tires and a stronger axle, allowing us to put more on the machine.”
Endres also appreciates the low engine emissions and optimal operator comforts — his Doosan wheel loaders have ergonomic controls, an easy-to-read LCD screen, adjustable air suspension seat, heat and air conditioning, and standard radio with a CD and MP3 player.
“I try to look at fuel consumption and how we can save money, while keeping in mind engine emissions,” he says. “The machine really has to stand on its own merit, and these machines have done just that.”
According to Endres, making sure operators are comfortable is a priority, especially when they work 10 hours a day. And, as far as serviceability goes, if a problem arises with any of his Doosan machines, his Doosan dealer is quick to remedy the problem.
“I only keep the wheel loaders for a year and seldom put over 1,000 hours on each machine, so I need to have only one mechanic at each facility,” he says. “If I need anything serviced, my Doosan dealership is much closer than other dealerships and is willing to help when I need anything.”
Two successful additions
The move to add different crops — and Doosan equipment — paid off. Currently, Perfect Berries Limited is the only cranberry processor in Eastern Canada, boasting 200 acres of the product, and has an additional 100 acres of blueberry plants. The company markets its product by the name Cranberry Acres, and is the only company that grows, processes and also packages cranberries in Atlantic Canada.
As Endres continues to maintain his peat moss, cranberry and blueberry businesses, he is hopeful to add more Doosan machines to his fleet.
“As for peat moss, there really isn’t a good substitute because of its water-holding capacities; there’s really nothing like it that can perform the same,” he says. “As for our blueberry business, it’s been a 10 percent increase almost every year. If we are producing and selling products at a fast rate, we will eventually need more equipment to help with the demand.”
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Did you know?
Cranberry bushes thrive in cool temperate conditions, particularly in northern North America, and are harvested in fall, usually in September through the first part of November. The berries can be harvested two ways: dry harvesting or wet harvesting. Dry harvesting consists of using a walk-behind machine to comb the berries off the vines. Berries are then removed from the bogs by bog vehicles or helicopters and delivered to fresh fruit markets. Wet-harvested cranberries float in water bogs and are harvested with wooden or plastic “booms,” then lifted by conveyor or pumped into a truck to the receiving station for cleaning. This technique is used for juices, sauces and sweetened dried cranberries.
Source: Cape Cod Cranberry Growers Association
