2017 IS MOVING FAST.
Happy New Year (seems a while ago now) and welcome to our Autumn newsletter, the first for 2017. We’ve had a fabulous start to the year at Cherry Hill and are looking forward to telling you about it!
We have a new bulk unloading and sizing machine (you can watch a video of this in action further below) and even more exciting is that we have a new staff member Tanya! We introduce Tanya this edition and Kevin has his say rehashing the debate on bin sizes.
Happy reading. The team at Cherry Hill Coolstores
IN THIS ISSUE
Season Report |
One tonne bin size debate |
Introducing Tanya |
New Machinery |
Read on for these great articles and much more…
SEASON REPORT
What an eventful start to the year it has been already at Cherry Hill.
The new bulk unloading and sizing machine has kicked off the 2017 season at Cherry Hill, with impressive results. It allows us to be more efficient by streamlining multiple processes into one. As we unload your seed from the truck, the oversize seed is removed at the same time – which thereby allows us to remove an entire step of re-tipping and grading to remove the larger spuds.
Click here to watch a video of our new machinery in action.
Overall, the new machine has proved to be very efficient to operate and also very economical for you, our customers – reducing the costs by $11 per tonne, for us to unload and size your seed.
We’ve unloaded over 6,000 tonne of seed already and the condition of seed is looking really good – we’re all very happy with it. Our brand new Coolstore is already being filled up with spuds.
Pre-cutting will be starting in early May for next year’s season. So, please let us know if you would like your seed cut early.
Best wishes, Andrew, Pam, Brenden and the team at Cherry Hill Coolstores.
CHERRY HILL COOLSTORES SEED GUARANTEE
Our Seed Management Services. Cherry Hill Coolstores will guarantee our services on Seed Growers seed. If you buy someone else’s certified seed, which is presented to Cherry Hill in good condition, and it breaks down, we will replace our cutting and services at no charge.
This guarantee specifically refers to seed piece breakdown (i.e. rot), and refers to seed which is delivered directly to Cherry Hill Coolstores from the seed paddock for chemical application, coolstoring and cutting. In order for this guarantee to be valid, the Buyer must make claims within 24-hours of the seed leaving Cherry Hill Coolstores and before planting.
In order for this guarantee to be valid, the buyer must make claims with 24 hours of the seed leaving Cherry Hill and before planting.
View more about our guarantee here.
NEW BULK UNLOADING AND SIZING MACHINE
Click below to watch a video of our new machinery in action.
A SLICE OF LIFE AT CHERRY HILL
In February this year we welcomed Tanya to the Cherry Hill team, in her new role as our Administration Manager.
This role has been created to alleviate workload from Pam (so she can go have some more fun)! Tanya will eventually be responsible for around 80% of Pam’s current duties, including accounts, payroll and managing the Cherry Hill workflow.
Now the first port of call when trucks/deliveries come in will be Tanya, who will log jobs into our system. She is gradually learning the role and taking on whatever daily tasks Pam throws her way. If you call us it will be Tanya that greets you! With a background in administration (30+ years as a bookkeeper and office worker), Tanya has taken to the role like a duck to water. With a distant family background in farming, Tanya was looking for a change of scenery and a new place to call home – and Latrobe ticked all those boxes for her. It was this role at Cherry Hill that prompted Tanya to move.
Tanya has spent the past three years in NSW living in Alstonville (40 minutes south of Byron Bay) and really missed Tassie.
I’m loving this role, and especially the people. I’m glad I moved and can see myself here for a very long time.
Tanya is enjoying the relaxed Latrobe lifestyle, living just down the road from Cherry Hill. In her spare time, she likes various craft-work, sewing and gardening. She’s also really looking forward to becoming a grandmother for the first time in July this year, when her eldest son Greg and wife Anita have their first child. (Tanya has two other children, daughters Caitlin and Jessica).
There’s also a bit of planning to do for her next holiday as Tanya is a keen traveller having visited Canada, Hawaii, Thailand, New Zealand, Vanuatu and Italy … Pam’s hoping to get some good travel tips before she goes!
Pictured: Top left – Tanya gets a hold of the new app technology (top) and Pam showing Tanya the ropes (below)
Read more about our staff here …
POTATO INDUSTRY RELUCTANT TO ACCEPT A CHANGE TO ONE TONNE BINS
In 1996 we decided we needed to try and improve our seed handling efficiency. The idea of increasing the bin size could be one way to achieve this.
As a result of this, we considered a one tonne, two tonne and 12 tonne bin. The 12 tonne bin idea was introduced into the onion handling operations at Ulverstone, (still used today) and proved to be very successful. It did not fit the seed handling system at that time for various reasons, however it might be worthy of consideration in the future.
We worked out the best size and structure for what we thought suited our systems at the time and built 20 x one tonne bins to trial for a year. We found these bins worked very well and they also suited the transport system too.
After one year of trialing the bins in various locations in our coolstore we decided that the seed was not compromised at all and announced to the industry that Cherry Hill would be changing over to one tonne bins. We had to change our forklifts to a three tonne capacity, and the box tippers size was increased too. We then purchased 2000 new bins and introduced them into our system.
However, there was still a lot of resistance to the idea at the time. Some industry people believed it was not a good idea and bought 4000 new half tonne bins to be put into the seed scheme. This made it harder for us to cater to both bin sizes. So we introduced a discount for clients who invested in one tonne bins. To be fair there were some growers who really liked the change and immediately changed to the one tonne bins however it took several years to completely discard the half tonne bin.
Today, the one tonne bin is still the original design we settled for when we first introduced them. The structure is much safer and more economical and is the only bin used today.
This change was 20 years ago. Maybe it is time to revisit the subject? Will two tonne bins give the industry the same savings that the change from half tonne bins to one tonne bins achieved?
If you would like more information on cut seed, call the team on (03) 6426 1590 or email admin@cherryhill.net.au.
Kevin is now retired, however can regularly be found out at the Cherry Hill Coolstores. He lives in East Devonport and would describe himself as very happily retired with still a key interest in Cherry Hill. Andrew regularly refers to Kevin for his advice and opinions.
TESTIMONIAL … “THEY KNOW THEIR PRODUCT”
“My relationship with Cherry Hill Coolstores has been 15 plus years in differing management roles and as a business owner. The standout for me over this time has been the impeccable knowledge of the seed that is under their care. The clear communication, the seed cutting, the paper trail, the open door policy for growers, the follow-up on issues and the new cutting/storage facilities are all outstanding.
But for me, when we have our first catch up, usually late April, the knowledge of the seed history, the grower, down to the paddock and the aspect where the seed has been grown, is clearly communicated off the top of their head so it is a really easy job for me to narrow down a top three lines for our McCain program. Our preference is for precut, as I aim for an early processing program. But if last minute changes or late cutting needs to occur, it is done time efficiently and minimum stress to me. All staff from Pam, Andrew and Brenden, to the forkies and cutters, are all courteous and helpful and all work towards a quality seed outcome.”
Doug Clark – Owner, DD & J Clark Pty Ltd Agricultural Ground Spraying and Grower.
View more of our testimonials here.
MISSED A PREVIOUS NEWSLETTER?
Read past editions of our newsletter here.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Please note that some months ago we changed banks to the ANZ (a few customers have still been using our old details so please update your records as we now have new banking details).
Please note these are now:
BSB 017 536 Account no. 3972 26402
GALLERY ADDITIONS
Visit our online gallery here.
FUNNY FIELD
WE’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU
P: (03) 6426 1590
F: (03) 6426 2464
E: admin@cherryhill.net.au
Visit our website www.cherryhillcoolstores.net.au