Boosting Coffee Farm Efficiency with the Avant 860i Loader - Avant Equipment

Boosting Coffee Farm Efficiency with the Avant 860i Loader

October 25, 2023

In the Byron Bay Hinterland, John Zentveld, of Zentveld’s Australian Coffee, was talking with a friend who works in the nursery industry about the need for a new machine on his coffee farm and roastery. His friend suggested that the Avant mini loader might be the ideal machine for Zentveld’s Coffee Farm after seeing one at a trade event.

After about 3 months of research and discussions with Avant Equipment Australia, John decided to purchase the Avant 860i loader. The range of attachments, extra hydraulics, and the ability to make his own attachments as well as removing the need for PTO shafts made the decision easier.

The Avant 860i loader boasts a wide range of attachments that allows a farmer to tackle a diverse range of tasks without swapping equipment. From digging and lifting to pruning and mowing, this single machine can handle it all while streamlining workflows. With a quick attach system John can quickly change attachments moving from one job to another. The narrow wheelbase makes it easy to move amongst the trees and the telescopic boom provides increased horizontal and vertical reach.

Tractors are undeniably powerful, but they can be cumbersome, especially when navigating tight spaces on a farm. The Avant 860i loader, on the other hand, offers exceptional maneuverability due to its compact design and articulated steering. This means it can effortlessly navigate around trees, between rows, and through narrow pathways without damaging crops. This agility translates into time saved and reduced crop damage. The compact size and lower weight of the Avant 860i loader compared to tractors means it has a reduced impact on soil compaction.

The Avant 860i loader is not your average farm machine. It’s a compact, articulated loader that brings an array of attachments to the table, making it an indispensable partner for coffee farmers. Like most agricultural properties Zentveld’s Coffee Farm requires a lot of maintenance. With so many different attachments the Avant loader is a versatile machine that can assist with many jobs around the property, including clearing rows after pruning, maintaining gravel roads and general farm maintenance, and clearing.

“Having the Avant loader with the flail mower and root grapple has revolutionised how we clean up after pruning our coffee trees. Prior to the Avant loader, we had a tractor with a flail mower at the rear that was a hard on the tractor and operator” states John.

The Avant 860i loader has transformed the harvesting process, offering a seamless solution to collect and transport coffee cherries. “With a narrow wheelbase the Avant loader with forks attached is ideal for collecting field bins and returning them to the processing area” says John “it makes this part of the harvesting extremely efficient”.

“The Avant loader is a great asset with making compost on site from waste material supplied by other producers, like hemp seed husk, wood chips from arborists and waste macadamia shells” declares John, “the Avant loader allows us to mix compost piles easily with the telescopic boom and load it into the belt spreader”.

“We’re keen to try out the edge trimmer attachment for maintaining rows of young trees without the need to use herbicides” states John “the edge trimmer might replace the tractor version”.

The versatility, manoeuvrability, and range of attachments make the Avant 860i loader an indispensable tool for various tasks on the farm. “We don’t need one of the tractors, the bucket on the other tractor or the rough terrain forklift while we have the versatile Avant loader” declares John.

“I’m very happy with our Avant loader. In our type of farming having the attachments at the front makes the machine much safer and more ergonomic making it better on the neck” says John.

The Avant 860i loader is a compact, manoeuvrable machine that allows Zentveld’s Coffee Farm to tackle a wide variety of tasks with a single piece of equipment, streamlining operations and reducing the need for multiple specialised tools.