Multimedia Resources
Photo Gallery
*Click blue box in the upper right hand corner of photo gallery to enlarge photo.
Videos
Reference to any specific product or manufacturer does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the UF/IFAS Citrus Mechanical Harvesting and Abscission Program. The videos below are strictly for educational viewing only.
- Citrus Mechanical Harvesting: The Tractor-Powered Continuous Canopy Shaker
- Citrus Mechanical Harvesting: The Continuous Canopy Shake & Catch System
- Citrus Mechanical Harvesting: The Trunk Shake & Catch System
- New Ways to Harvest Citrus, circa 1967
- Department of Citrus, circa 1975 - Mechanizing the Citrus Harvest
- Discover the Benefits of Mechanical Harvesting (Video courtesy of the Florida Department of Citrus, 2004)
Almond Harvesters
Schieler Harvester (Trunk Shaker)
The Schieler Harvester 1088 Tree Crop Harvester is fully computer controlled with Parker's IQAN system. This shaker has a fully automatic bin changing system (Sidetrack). Its data can generate yeild maps of what type of harvests in your orchard, by the tree, bin row, or acre.
Schieler Harvester 1088 IQAN System
Apple Harvesters
Phil Brown Welding
Phil Brown of Phil Brown Welding in Conklin, Mich., showed off the latest iteration of his platform apple harvester that reduces labor requirements for orchards and damage to apples by using a proprietary vacuum system that slows down apples and places them into bins.
Phil Brown Apple Harvester — FGNtv
CASC DBR Harvest Assist System 2011 Update
Phil Brown Welding - Apple Harvester 2013 Night Picking
Cherry Harvesters
Munckhof Machinery
A trunk and shake catch system for the harvesting of cherries designed by Munckof Machinery, located in the Netherlands. It is used to shake cherry trees, but can also be used in apple and pear orchards.
Munckhof Machinery Tree Shaker
Citrus Harvesters
Nelson Mechanical Harvester Suitable for Olives or Citrus
Nelson Harvesters P/L, located in Australia, has developed an over the row machine that is adaptable for use in processed olives or oranges. With a few modifications you can switch from harvesting olives to oranges as there is very little difference between the machine needs.
Olive Harvesting in Australia with a Nelson Harvester
Trunk Shaker used at Quevado Winery Olive Grove
In 2006, Quevado Winery, located in S. Joao da Pesqueira, Portugal, started growing organic olives for olive oil. At harvest time, they use a trunk shaker mechanical harvester.
Harvest of organic olives with mechanical vibration in Douro
Lightning Loader
In the 1950s, the fruit handling operations within a grove were mechanized, reducing handling and hauling labor by at least two thirds. Petersen Industries, Inc. introduced the “Lightning Loader” in 1957 and this equipment still handles nearly 80% of all citrus harvested in Florida today.
Citrus Loader - Model CL-3 - Petersen Industries
Citrus Mechanical Harvesting Yield Study
Katrina Moseley, a UF Food and Resource Economics student, did a study to determine if mechanical harvesting has an adverse effect on short term crop yield and tree health. Watch to see a short introduction to the study.
Mechanical Harvesting for Orange Trees in Florida
Nelson Harvesting
Andrew Nelson, of Nelson Harvesting in New South Wales, Australia, has built and operated a harvester that is towed behind a tractor.
Citrus harvesting in Australia with a Nelson Harvester
Olive Harvesters
Nelson Mechanical Harvester Suitable for Olives or Citrus
Nelson Harvesters P/L, located in Australia, has developed an over the row machine that is adaptable for use in processed olives or oranges. With a few modifications you can switch from harvesting olives to oranges as there is very little difference between the machine needs.
Olive Harvesting in Australia with a Nelson Harvester
Trunk Shaker used at Quevado Winery Olive Grove
In 2006, Quevado Winery, located in S. Joao da Pesqueira, Portugal, started growing organic olives for olive oil. At harvest time, they use a trunk shaker mechanical harvester.
Harvest of organic olives with mechanical vibration in Douro
Grape Harvesters
Pellenc
Pellenc, an equipment manufacturer in the agriculture industry, has developed mechanical harvesters for grapes. Their harvesters include both self-propelled and a tow-behind models. Their newest machine, the Optimum series, is a self- propelled over–the- row machine using a flexible conveyor sorter that they claim can help eliminate juice loss and maintain the berry integrity.
Pellenc Optimum Grape Harvester
Berry Harvesters
OXBO Top Loading Mechanical Harvesters Used for Several Berry Varieties
Oxbo International Corporation, building on the Korvan brand, developed a top-loading harvester, model 7420, that can harvest fresh market quality blueberries, blackberries or IQF (individually quick frozen) raspberries.