How our Rock Picker Works

Using our Degelman 7200 Rock Picker to get the rocks off the field before we continue planting. Once again light is an issue.
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I am a 5th generation family farmer from West-Central Minnesota. The recent interest in food, combined with a large amount of 'misinformation' has driven me to start this channel. I hope to be someone people can relate to and trust when they question how their food is grown and raised. I also hope to become a 'smarter' farmer through my experiences with this channel. I strongly believe we must have an open mind and a willingness to learn about others, or we cannot move forward as one. My goal is to build the connection between farmers and consumers by facilitating a collaborative conversation amongst everyone. I do this by sharing my day-to-day farming experiences, my opinions on certain topics, and occasionally visiting other farms and businesses to help better understand other farming and business practices. There is no limit to where this channel may go, so please join me!!
"peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding."
-Albert Einstein

[@paulthompson5968]

Amazing how much fields grow rocks.

[@brockole4851]

Rocks that are naturally buried deep below the field are slowly pushed to the surface by freeze--thaw annual cycles. Some very large rocks (boulders) are too big to handle by machines, are re- buried, by using an excavator to dig a deep hole next to the boulder , and rolling it into the hole and covering over with dirt.

[@xperyskop2475]

Or how much top soil erosion ocures

[@aenorist2431]

Its more that retard agriculture as shown here erodes so much soil each year that you´ll continuously lower your field into more rocks.

[@northernyeti8280]

Ae Norist if ignorance is bliss, you must be really happy

[@hellbringer09]

@@aenorist2431 frost and tilling of the field is to blame not erosion... water collects under and around rocks and when it freezes it expands and comes closer to the surface.... then the tilling of the field flips and fully exposes them...

[@Dale37]

Your channel is the best kept secret on KZbin. Your videos are well put together, they have good music, the narrating is spot on and you rarely complain about the daily struggles you face, and for the viewers that have never stepped foot on a farm, you do a great job educating them. Your family seem real down to earth and it's easy to see that your kids look up to you. Keep up the good work!

[@MillennialFarmer]

Dale thanks Dale!! That's a great compliment!

[@thefatkid2963]

I remember ridding around on a truck hood picking rock's with my grandpa

[@pointbreak9850]

When i was younger i was the rock picker..😂

[@IdenticXP]

We´ve all been rock pickers :D

[@AASparkChaser]

Builds character.

[@MillennialFarmer]

Same here, apparently I missed a few...

[@IdenticXP]

Builds the strong back you need for this job.

[@howardbain6516]

Yup. Dad driving the tractor, me on the stone boat

[@G-Man-kc2nm]

The right tool for the job....hate to say how many acres I’ve hand picked as a kid....thanks

[@butlerbees6639]

Same here. Showed my Grandpa a video of guys using a mechanical rock picker to see what he thought. Him and I spent countless hours chucking rocks. When I showed him the video he said, “bunch of lazy bastards if you ask me.” Love my Grandpa

[@brianpalmer5668]

Ufscvvvcggyjkjkjkdfh

[@66block84]

Grew up in Duluth, been living in the Twin Cities since 1981, and this is the first time I have seen a rock picker. Found your channel by watching Stoney Ridge Farmer. Thanks for sharing.

[@MillennialFarmer]

You can get your Merchandise here, if you dare... www.mnmillennialfarmer.com/

[@StripeyType]

Folks always talk about how charming the rock walls here in New England are, until they stop and think about why those rocks are all lined up at the edges of fields and realize what back breaking work it must have been back then. That big one you showed us is no joke!

[@nicholasdowns3502]

R. James Scheffler III, a farmer near me in Western New York has a rock that is at least 10 foot long.

[@tucobenedicto109]

Dutch walls. They killed two birds with many stones. Built a property wall, and cleared the farm!

[@Mode-Selektor]

Yup. Every rock in the loooong pretty wall was some guy's "pain in the ass" 100+ years ago.

[@StripeyType]

@@Mode-Selektor hell, at least one in the wall along my MILs field was my "pain in the ass" only a month or so ago. :D

[@bobnovac3558]

I really enjoy watching this I have realized these guys have got to know lots of information these days. My grand father farmed around Rochester MN in a little town called Good Hue. Rest In Peace Edwin Oreilly.

[@dankinnard1833]

Back in the late 50's and early 60's my brother and I were the rock pickers. We had a 16 foot wooden drag that we rode on and piled the rocks in the center. Unloaded when the Farmall H started loading down in 4th gear. We then used these rocks to fill in the ruts in the lane in early spring breaking them down with a stone cracking hammer. One of the many chores/jobs our Dad kept us busy on the farm growing up. Some of your rocks look like boulders!

[@thedonleroy]

We had rain issues also. Our last corn field had been so wet & just when we were going to plant what we could it rained on it again. No rain on any other field just that one so we decided to forget planting corn on it & hope it will dry out for beans. We had our rock picker going too. He is 19 years old. Does a great job.

[@billc3271]

It's amazing how the rocks seem to show up from nowhere each year. Me and my siblings had the joy of doin it by hand.

[@Mass_hole508]

I don't know about anyone else but i could watch this machine for hours. 👍👍👍

[@RockyMountainHiThere]

That is probably one of the most satisfying machine to watch.

[@2seeatnite42]

The Flintstones Cartoon comes to mind after watching this video. Love your channel. Thank God for the American Farmer !!!

[@adambranchetti5509]

As a team member of a Deere dealer in the south east I really enjoy your videos. A few of my techs and I always talk about about your new post the following morning at work.

[@57REDROOSTER]

Wow how nice... I have spent 50 years picking them up and throwing them in the bucket tractor... Ill take some of that rain... The ground here is dry and hard as a brick... Been getting a lot of rain all around me but just little sprinkles on this farm

[@keithgeisen]

We planted around the rocks and after harvest we planted flags at the rocks so we would remember where they were growing (lol) We would have loved rock picker! Great idea!

[@imrebogr8324]

Just came across this video. Have to say thank you for making this. Where I am from In Saskatchewan, most farmers have wheel-type rock pickers like this. Some have also have fork-type rock pickers too as they are handy for getting the bigger rocks ( easy chair size and such) off the field. The larger rock you had there my Father used to call " Pebbles"

[@CCAFS617]

Guess my phone is listening again. My dad & I were just talking about getting a rock picker for next year for the field. And today this is on my TY recommended videos. Great video 👍🏼

[@waterskiingfool]

It's amazing how big of rocks those pickers can grab

[@jimlovesfarming6332]

"Just back in into your local Rick pile" 😂😂 Oh man what memories

[@WJack97224]

Great video and great machine. I can see this rock picking machine being used in vineyards and orchards in the Central San Joaquin Valley along the Kings River where there are lots of rounded river rocks that dot the fields.

[@lisajohnson8566]

Very cool how that machine works. Great music selection that really fit the job. Nice job on the video too. Thanks for the demo.

[@jlb3243]

Love the videos! You're becoming my favorite farming you tuber

[@patrickschneider9717]

This entire video was extremely satisfying

[@raffy1ca]

Here in Canada we just run the reel the entire time we’re in the field. Works great! Great video! Hopefully you can get some planting done. Cheers from Saskatchewan!

[@MillennialFarmer]

raffy1ca what area of Saskatchewan?

[@JAKDRZR]

Was going to say the same thing. Never stop moving either. From Northern sask.

[@petermemmelaar6236]

hope you have a great day

[@MillennialFarmer]

Peter Memmelaar same to you!

[@mattyc195]

Damn what a machine! Sure beats the hell out of picking up rocks by hand or beating a machine to hell. Cool video and thanks for sharing

[@MDI.PHOTOGRAPHY828]

Yall have a killer life brother. Miss farmin & heavy machines.

[@ricaldrich3424]

That's amazing! I love farm equipment

[@ronaldwright6366]

Over machined on the pickup, we had one with the samed lay out but the pickup was a 5 foot blade instead of a reel with a chain get that when raised it dropped the rocks into the hopper. Worked great.and didn't have to stop to pick the rocks

[@condod414]

Great video, thank you for the lesson.

[@joelmollenkopf3767]

Excellent That one was pretty damn big! Thanks for showing

[@johnfugate3432]

That rock picker is the thing we have chert rock here in East Tennessee to small for that picker but are never ending thanks good video

[@henningthode4456]

rock picking, one of the most satisfying jobs on a farm 😎

[@nashguy207]

Zach i could tell the field was definitely too wet to plant. We are having crazy weather here as well I'M a landscaper and we are way behind on some stuff due to the weather and out temps went from winter to summer we sat a record for the high the last 3 or 4 days here. Loved the video the music was awesome. Would love to see some more of the rock picker can't believe how large the rock was you were standing by it was huge!!! Can't believe how many rocks are still in the field after the years of planting. Keep the videos coming buddy hope onyx's arm is doing ok. Have a great week. God Bless

[@danvanninhuys745]

Those darn rocks keep growing.

[@DougAlesUSA]

I have a 0.606 acre residentail lot, mostly with grass and some trees. I haven’t had a rock in 27 years, yet I want this rock picker. 👍

[@JW-iq8sw]

nice vid...I can remember in the 60's we picked up the rocks with a flatbed wagon! this MUCH better LOL

[@timhengesbach1299]

Congrats on all the subscribers! You do a great job explaining everything. I love all the camera angles, gives us all s good sense of what's going on. You must spend a lot of time editing too.

[@MillennialFarmer]

Tim Hengesbach more than I want to most of the time but it's fun when a video comes together!

[@burtbrooks7731]

I second the comment, I was the rock picker never had no fancy machine like that!!!👍👍 pretty slick💪

[@Everett-xe3eg]

Wow! theres a machine for everything. Tractors are like grown up toys! so many accesories

[@davidwoermansr]

My mom always said the difference between men and boys is the price of their toys

[@semco72057]

That is a neat looking machine and it does a great job of collecting the rocks and we could use something like that down here since there are many rocks in our area.

[@georgegoertzen4723]

Love this machine. Sure beats stone boat and hand picking!

[@robertg.9964]

My wife's Uncle invented the rock picker in Canada called the Rock-o-Matic in a small town Vonda, CAN in 1961. That is in the province of Saskatchewan. Eventually the company change the name to Highline Manufacturing. I have met the family and visited the manufacturing plant. All her Uncles were farmers but incredibly smart from a engineering stand point and got into inventing farm equipment. I know her Uncle has retired now from the business but it's a real neat history to hear and see when we go up to Saskatoon to meet up with the family and still see some of their equipment out in the fields.

[@MillennialFarmer]

Robert G. Wow that's cool! There are still a lot of old rock o matics around!

[@christopherringen6874]

Sure beats doing it by hand when I was young with my dad just driving the wagon 😂

[@thr8061]

Growing up, we kids were the "rock picker". Luckily, we did not have too many rocks to pick. When I planted corn, my tractor had a loader/bucket on which I would throw any bigger rocks into. When we seeded, we did a closer look and used a flat baling rack. Again, usually not too many. But we did rent some land which we could pick rocks for weeks on some of those hills. Once hill, my sisters, mom, aunt & cousins (heck they wanted to do it) picked 10 wagon loads. I was plowing, disking & planting corn the whole time.

[@MillennialFarmer]

thr8061 sounds to me like you were "supervising"!

[@thr8061]

You know how it is ... as soon as you have a couple of days of good weather, all hands on deck! Dad was milking, hauling manure and other stuff around the 2 farms. I would be getting up before school to plow/disk/drag a field and then come home and finish up or plant until done each night. Weekends were fieldwork from sunrise until done (could be after midnight). Mom & sisters pitched in where ever / when ever they could.

[@peytonbroyles9807]

Great video! Love the drone footage!

[@ManzanitaRecords]

I thought this was a cute little contraption until he stood next to it 😳dems some big rocks!! Makes sense to have this piece of equipment.

[@jaydenc27]

We just bought a Degelmen identical to yours last winter. We were moving stones in it (we were loading it with a skidsteer) and I bent both cylinders first day out we locked the teeth going up and down and dumping with that locked bent both of them. We run ours on a 7210r and have had great luck

[@chocolatte6157]

I spent a lot of hours in my teen years picking rock by hand. This looks more appealing.

[@alanwilliams5907]

Only just come across your channel and I'm hooked keep up the good work 👍

[@EdHourigan]

Where was this machine when I was younger! I was the rock picker back in the day

[@firstname6208]

that 3rd rock was damn near a leaverite!! I knew all that deep frost you guys had would push them up. just part of the deal up there. saved a few sickle sections on the bean head or even a snout on the corn head eh! would like to see all that electronics operating in that spray buggy next.

[@brandleeshadden5913]

That was cool videos with the drone and music. Never seen a machine like that.

[@jamieshields9521]

I haven’t seen any rock that size in our volcanic soil, our rock picker is like tine rake that draws rocks to a turn table. Then moves onto auger metal belt into 12t box trailer I wish I could a post pick of it. We used NH TM125 pull rock picker but once starts load up, especially up hill the TM125 start struggle but Magnum 215 would be no problem, dump our rocks in waterway so soil doesn’t wash away. Great vid👍

[@kahnwolfe9548]

See, now I understand this. I worked for a farm where we had a rock picking crew. 5 guys, a front loader or skid steer, and we would go pick rocks. Worked quite effectively. THIS on the other hand, is slow, tedious, but entirely capable of being picked by one person. Granted it isn't as quick or efficient as a 5 man crew, but, if you don't have a ton of people standing around who need something to do and there is only you to clear the rocks, this works quite well!

[@tractormanmike1830]

Greetings from Michigan's upper peninsula. You guys got some nuggets over there, we have everything from gravel to shallow ledge. Some fields never get deep tillage because there is only so much dirt. We use rock buckets for some steers. Your rig looks like it works well

[@blainetraine1606]

Awesome!! Work smarter not harder!

[@claytongeddings3483]

That is really cool. My son an I enjoy your videos we just started watching. He loves tractors

[@andynicoll5593]

Great to see this in operation Not used ours yet 🙄 Great tunes 🙌

[@chrishaugh1655]

Well that looks like a slow and arduous task. YAY!

[@charliegonzales1404]

Pretty cool machine. Looks like fun.

[@MillennialFarmer]

Charlie Gonzales fun. For an hour maybe!

[@MatthewHoag77]

That's definitely a handy implement to own if you have rocky ground.

[@dottmcse]

Who knew rock pickin' could be so fun.

[@TacoStacks]

I now want a rock picker and I don't even have rocks

[@robertweekley5926]

Like Us folk wanting a Tractor, but not living on a Farm? 🙄😂

[@Atoyota]

Yeah great implement to have Wish we did. Clearing fields that have been fallow for half a century (old dairy land) for a vineyard. We clear and burn leaving sticks and lots of rock all over the field but mostly in the burn piles. Most sticks and rocks we hand pick and or take to windrows then pick up there. Most of the stone we use for walls or repairing older stone dry stack walls.

[@bradashton8675]

Love seeing what other farmers around the world are doing. We are also currently planting in WA (Western Australia) keep the videos coming

[@MillennialFarmer]

Brad Ashton cook! What are you planting there?

[@bradashton8675]

Various crops. Canola, barley, beans, lupins, peas. I must say, you could just post videos of your soil and I'd still watch it. Also love the planter

[@fowletm1992]

Where in We We're in esperance Only just started today

[@fowletm1992]

Also look up rocks gone reefanator

[@Komputerforingen]

Its nice to how different the hydraulic version of the Degelmann works. On the farm i have been working on here in north dakota, My boss has the wheel powered version, where the reel is driven by the right wheel on the rock picker. Most of the times where i can see that the rocks is laying on top of the ground, then i dont slow down, thats because i want to get the rocks in the back of the bucket. But that one doesnt work as good in wet or really soft ground, because the wheel would start dragging. I have managed to get rocks out of the ground, that i couldnt get in the bucket because of the size.

[@johnwarren-649]

Glad to you farm rocks too we always said if would could farm rocks would be rich lol spend many days picking rocks out of our fields the old fashion way than by rock picker my what a back saver they are

[@brianjonker510]

Degelman produces quality machines. Havent used their rock picker. Mine is the armstrong model. Great model it works if you want it to work or not

[@robwhite2207]

That's a crazy little machine never heard of that before....

[@ubatracker1976]

You sure know how to rock and roll !!!

[@romap.8521]

alex ovechkin finaly became a farmer, thats cool!

[@Bammsaidthelady]

never has picking rocks been this entertaining!

[@dsbond8048]

I started my rock picking career when I was eight. Looking back it was fun. Picking up rocks and throwing them in a truck.

[@brianhubbard7606]

Are you sure your not a rock farmer? Or are you a farmer that rock's?

[@MillennialFarmer]

Brian Hubbard it depends on the day, sometimes I'm both.

[@brianpalmer5668]

Jkfkfhdxcccvvcccv

[@garymucher9590]

I originally thought you were talking about some small rocks. But man those are some fairly large rocks. Nice machine for sure...

[@benscoles5085]

this thing is not what I expected, i figured it would be more like a sifter, this is the first one I have ever seen in operation, thanks for the education.

[@Zamolxes77]

Holy shit, I didn't know that there are machines that pick rocks. Ingenious, I like it.

[@born2boost659]

I remember spending hours as a kid walking the field. Picking up the rocks by hand and throwing them onto a flat trailer. Very few instances did we get one where we could use the skid loader

[@jamesmcclaren6534]

Simple but strangle interesting 😂👍 the rock picker that is 🤣🤣

[@oby-1607]

We have a Degelman 6000 Signature and there is not much it can't pick up, even partly buried. We try to always go through and rip up the dirt first to make it easier for the rockpicker. Its nice because it is hydraulic drive and dump. Hard to beat.

[@joemeehan5185]

Nice rock picker. Lol we use our hands and it sucks. Very wet here in the North East. We are way behind planting also. Hoping for good weather SOON.

[@kylesmith9956]

Getting racing season here in the south. About time for a Racing video

[@brinkme1772]

"This cute little guy" ... haha, priceless!

[@gerardkenny6]

love the vids keep up the work

[@bobbates6642]

That machine is great. I have picked up rocks by hand. I have seen the old horse drawn rock lifters in use they were great for the time.

[@davidwoermansr]

I have a neighbor that still uses a horse drawn picker on a 12 acre patch and now's rakes and bales 25 acres of hay and a little over 70 acres of straw each year just to keep his draft horses in practice for the competitions he goes to he saved me and all my kids gas in our Ford 8n's and Farmall M,super M and H's by plowing discing and springtoothing our gardens mine's the smallest at 2.5 acres after a run over with the tiller it seems like the best seedbeds we've had in years I guess we'll see come time to load the trucks and trailers for the farmers markets

[@379insk]

My first days picking rocks was throwing them on a stone boat and unloading them the same Lol. Btw send some of your rain to Saskatchewan! Hasn't rained all spring and is hot and windy every day. Hope canola will germinate!

[@MillennialFarmer]

379insk we're actually a lot dryer than much of MN. Good luck with the canola!!

[@379insk]

MN Millennial Farmer ......Am seeding yellow peas today. Ground is hard and dry. RR Canola IS next . Soybeans will go in last. Have a great day!

[@canuckyank82]

Yup. We used a stone boat until the rock picker finally showed up on the farm one day. The non farmer is not going to understand the purpose of rock picking. You should start off you next video explaining the need for a clear smooth seed bed and also how rocks ruin expensive machinery. Your explanation of the machine and it's operation was great, but not all of your audience understands why you ho out and do what you do, when you do it. The beginning explanations will help the non-farmer.

[@aberdeenbelfry316]

That looks like fun

[@benallen148]

Hello MN Millenial farmer were farming in SA (south Australia) and I love your videos along with how farms work and one lonely farmer but here in SA we have a different type of rock pickers

[@mattbarnes3467]

A lot better than the old days with a couple five time forks, a loader tractor, and a dump cart

[@davidharris6581]

That is very cool!

[@markgamble8377]

That was one big rock it picked up.slick

[@TruckDrivinGamer]

Attention, viewers. Something you'll NEVER hear Millennial Farmer say: "Well, there's just NOTHING to do today. Guess I'll just kick back and relax..." 😎 Seriously, though, sorry about the weather, Zach. I do hope you catch a break soon and you and your fellow farmers get your crops in the ground. Thanks for a cool video with the rock picker and your favorite pile of rocks! Lol

[@MillennialFarmer]

David Quintanilla lol!! Thanks!

[@jordanroberts1519]

You need a t-shirt that says something to the accord of "Plant that corn nice and deep-like". Instant seller!!!

[@MillennialFarmer]

Jordan Roberts that's a good idea!

[@jordanroberts1519]

I'm sure Becky would love it.

[@GCHG2014]

"Plant that seed nice and deep-like" would be better

[@jordanroberts1519]

Agreed. Much better. Reaches a broader audience.

[@Eighty8Fitter]

Deep Tillin!

[@olliedeolifant2307]

That,s a nice machine,going to look whit the dealer here in holland👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻💜💙❤️💚💛hope. You can plant soon

[@AG-po7bl]

Great video. Always wondered how that rock picker machine actually worked.

[@trulyinfamous]

Good landscaping rocks.