In the midst of climate change and with rising global temperatures, rain has become an increasingly precious resource. Today, every drop that falls is seen as a gift for nature and crops, and during times of extreme drought, it’s a real blessing. However, not everyone sees it the same way. For those working in the straw business, water can be a real headache.
To preserve its quality, straw must be completely dry. Moisture not only swells and deforms the bales but also promotes the growth of mold, making the material unsuitable for sale. This leads to a loss of time, effort, and of course, money.
France is one of the main straw producers in Europe, exporting a large part of its production to countries like Belgium and the Netherlands, where it is used for livestock bedding, fuel, and other agricultural purposes.
After an excellent 2023 season, 2024 was expected to be even better… but the rain had other plans. An unusually wet July with torrential rains in the north of the country put French farmers to the test.
With Le Tour du ForStack, at Arcusin, we had prepared our own version of the Tour de France: 11 days of demonstrations of the ForStack large bale accumulator, from July 7 to 18, in regions like Charente, Vienne, Centre — Loire, Yvelines, Seine, and Loiret. With a trailer, a tractor, and a ForStack, along with a technician and the sales representative for each area, we set out to collect straw bales from clients’ and contacts’ farms to demonstrate, on-site, the benefits of our machine.
We conduct these demonstrations each year and upon request (click here to request one), but this summer, the rain turned what should have been a pleasant tour through the French countryside into a real race against time.
With constant and intermittent rains, the bales are handled with tractors and telescopic handlers. With extremely short dry windows, it is almost impossible to keep the fields clear of bales, especially considering the current difficulty of finding skilled labor… and that’s where our big challenge came in. Under these conditions, the ForStack had to prove one of its main advantages: its ability to pick up and stack bales quickly and efficiently. And it didn’t disappoint… and of course, the fields were cleared faster than with the traditional method.
The Arcusin ForStack proved to be the fastest large bale accumulator on the market, even under the pressure of the weather.
Each demonstration, when the weather permitted, showcased its ability to save the bales from the effects of the rain. It was a real triumph in this race against time, reinforcing what we have always claimed at Arcusin: we stand alongside the farmer, helping them make their work more efficient, reducing costs, and minimizing dependence on uncontrollable factors like the weather.
And furthermore, without damaging the field: the ForStack unlike the tractor with a telescopic handler, picks up the bales in the same direction they were deposited, so it doesn’t damage the ground, the machine remains undamaged, and it poses no risk to the driver from potholes.
