When Claus Henneberg persuaded the boss to buy two JST grass forks to be able to keep up in the stack, it was the beginning of a new era – an era without a bucket on his loader
The grass season is in full swing, and that means busy times at agricultural contractor Bounum Maskinstation, which is continuously investing in bigger and better equipment in order to work as efficiently as possible. Claus Henneberg, who has been driving a loader at the agricultural contractor since 2008, says that their cutters have gone from 340 HP to 650 and 920 HP in the last ten years. That’s why the man in the stack is working hard to keep up, so it’s important to have the right equipment.
“I’ve always sworn by the bucket, and I had it made so that I could have the bucket inside the grass fork… But I didn’t need it”
Machine operator, Claus Henneberg
When Bounum Maskinstation bought two new JST grass forks with hydraulic side folding in 2021, it turned out to be the right choice. With the grass fork, Claus can now keep up with the contractors’ Claas 960TT cutter and the two Fendt 1050 with Demmler 60 m3 wagons, which drive to the stack at regular intervals. Instead of another man and machine in the stack, Claus can now do the job alone in his 2021 Claas 1812 with “all the fun stuff on the equipment list”, as he says.
“I’ve always sworn by the bucket, even though I’ve tried root grapples and other attachments. And I had it made so that I could have the bucket inside the grass fork so I could quickly switch over… But I didn’t need it,” says Claus Henneberg from Bounum Maskinstation. From May to November, Claus almost exclusively drives in stacks in grass and maize, so he has become specialised in the field and has tried a lot of different attachments within his niche.
“The spacing between the teeth means you don’t drop the grass on the way up and you can easily level it out. You can level it at 4.3 metres… That’s a working width to be reckoned with!” Machine operator, Claus Henneberg
Claus says that the spacing between the teeth on the JST grass fork is perfect for working in grass. You don’t drop the grass on the way up and you can easily level it out. Bounum Maskinstation bought the 430 cm wide grass fork and, as Claus says, it’s “a working width to be reckoned with.”
Hydraulic side folding
Claus is also enthusiastic about the hydraulic side folding, which he uses a lot. This provides different ways to use the grass fork, and it means that the grass fork can be used in both large and small silos, as you can always fold up one side and drive right up to the wall.
“It takes a little time to learn, but it works really well. For example, if you have an edge on a field stack that you want to finish off really nicely, you can keep one side folded a bit as you drive,” Machine Operator, Claus Henneberg
Claus doesn’t just use the folding side when space is tight or to drive close to the silo wall. It’s also used to guide grass and maize, making nice curves on the top and neat edges on the stack. For example, if Claus is driving in a field stack, he folds in the sides a little so that the sides can pull the grass inwards. “It takes a little time to learn, but it works really well. If you have an edge on a field stack that you want to finish off really nicely, you can keep one side folded a bit as you drive,” says Claus.
Great in grass – even better in maize
Claus was even more excited about the grass fork when he first tried using it in maize. The maize plate has a completely smooth base with a cutting edge, and when it was installed, it was like getting a brand new attachment all over again.
“”It’s a multi-tool. Great in grass and almost even better in maize. It’s perfect for that.”
Machine Operator, Claus Henneberg
The smooth base and cutting edge means that the operator can easily clean up in front of the stack. “When you have to push a load of maize directly from the tarmac, you don’t have to worry about a tooth breaking. You can just focus on getting something pushed up in a hurry,” Claus smiles.
The completely smooth bottom also means that the sides of a maize stack can be folded completely flat, allowing the plastic to lie close to the surface – without any grooves where air can hide and form mould. The side teeth are also a great advantage when working in maize, where the teeth hold the maize in when pushing the maize up.
“It’s a multi-tool. That’s what’s so great about it. Great in grass and almost even better in maize. It’s perfect for that,” Claus says enthusiastically.
The maize base plate is quick and easy to install with rivets and ring cotter pins, so it’s also possible to switch between maize and grass. “There’s no need to use the bucket for anything. I’ve become fairly convinced that it will be allowed to stay at home for a while. Although I’ve been carrying it around faithfully for the past year,” Claus admits.
Space for a bucket inside the fork
When Claus got the grass fork, he also got new buckets from JST, which were the right size to fit a bucket in the grass fork. The buckets were manufactured with bucket ears so they could be easily clamped to the grass fork. This gives Claus great flexibility and the ability to take the bucket with him if he needs to cover stacks or do groundwork afterwards.
Great service from JST
Bounum Maskinstation was one of the first customers to buy the newly developed grass fork, and during the first season, the rivets for folding became loose. Bounum Maskinstation called JST and was met with great professionalism and a quick and efficient handling of the problem.
“We were taken seriously right from the start, and JST came and picked up both grass forks and returned them to us again. It was easy for us. Now it’s an open case, so if something comes up again, we’ll just give them a call. I’m actually quite impressed that it was so smooth,” says Claus.
Bounum Maskinstation hasn’t experienced any problems with the rivets since. The repair was quick and easy, with no hassle for Bounum Maskinstation, so they are very satisfied and are happy to recommend both JST and the grass fork to others in the industry.
Prices and details
If you’d like to know even more about grass forks and also want to see prices and details, you can read more here: