A GPS receiver mounts onto the crossbar over the scraper. This Rome 18C scraper has a capacity of 18 cubic yards with a cutting width of 14 feet.
Below is a John Deere 4840 2WD tractor with a powershift transmission. This versatile tractor is found on many American farms and will perform some lighter field tillage operations, seeding, and heavy 3-point hitch equipment such a hipping and ripping for feed grains production. Attached to the tractor is a levee plow that is used to construct and deconstruct irrigation levees in rice and feed grains fields.
This John Deere 4630 tractor is equipped with a front loader, which makes it useful in unloading and reassembling farm machinery. It will be used in building and managing irrigation systems, mowing roadways and lots, and other general purpose farm duties.
The service truck performs an essential function for Amerigui Plantation since it serves as a portable maintenance vehicle. Aside from mechanic's tools, it has an air compressor, welder, generator, fuel transfer tanks, and other features that expedite repair and maintenance of farm machinery.
The 1120 Rome disk shown below is a heavy cut 32' disk with 24" blades and oil bath gang bearings that last for several seasons with need for repair. The disk has been fully reconditioned, as is all machinery sent to Amerigui Plantation.
Three Triple-K field cultivators have been sent to Amerigui Plantation. This is one of the two 34' models and was being reassembled when the photo was taken. Most machinery sent to Amerigui Plantation will be repainted to Deere green, Cat yellow, and black for simplicity and ease of maintenance.
The second 34' Triple-K field cultivator.
A closer look at the 21' Triple-K field cultivator.
Below is a 40' x 10" irrigation water relift pump that will be powered by the Deere 4630 tractor. This irrigation pump will transfer water from the canals into rice fields. If fields are suitably arranged it should be able to irrigate about 400 acres of rice.
The 32' gooseneck equipment trailer has been very useful in transporting machinery from the ocean port at Kamsar to Amerigui Plantation. It has a capacity of 12 tons and will be used to move crop supplies from warehouse to the fields for application (seed, chemicals, fertilizers, etc).
A John Deere 900 ripper is pictured below. This ripper is used to loosen compacted soil prior to planting of feed grain crops such as maize and sorghum. Feed grains will be rotated with rice to promote plant health, improve weed control, and to provide raw material for Amerigui Plantation's poultry feed mill.
This 8-row John Deere 7340 planter is equipped with no-till coulters and will be used to plant both maize and sorghum on 30" row spacings.
Two 8-row hippers have been sent to Amerigui Plantation to provide a raised seedbed for feed grains crops. Raised beds will promote efficient irrigation in precision-graded fields. This first unit also has a ripper attachment in front of each row.
The implement shown below is an Amco water furrow plow, also referred to as a ditcher. Small drainage ditches are constructed in each field after planting to assure positive drainage during crop production and prior to harvest. It is important that fields are well-drained before harvest to minimize rutting of fields, ease stress on equipment, and create fewer challenges to preparing the field for the next season's crop.
The small tool below is used to cut a gap in rice irrigation levees and dig a trench on the upstream side of the levee where the irrigation spill is to be installed. While this task can be done by hand, using this tool greatly minimizes the manual effort involved and speeds the irrigation spill installation process a great deal.
Below is a 21' flat roller, which is commonly partially filled with water to serve as a ballast. Flat rollers are pulled after planting of seeds to firm the seedbed and promote good seed-to-soil contact. They may also be used after rice harvest to flatten stalks to the ground so that it may burn more thoroughly.
There are many, many miles of dirt roads on Amerigui Plantation, so this John Deere 2018 mower will be used to keep roads free of larger grass and weeds. This makes management easier, and also prevent weed and grass from producing new seeds alongside the fields each season.
This Deere 709 mower will keep smaller spaces looking tidy.
This 1993 Toyota Landcruiser is one of two passenger vehicles sent to Amerigui Plantation. Landcruisers are the vehicle of choice for many organizations in Africa due to their reliability and durability.
This 1994 Landcruiser was also sent to Amerigui Plantation. It has been equipped to serve as a GPS survey vehicle capable of making topographical maps of the fields to be developed. This photo was taken on the beach at Wilmington, NC just before it was placed on board the ocean vessel bound for Kamsar, Guinea.
