Equipment Users Testimony

Nov. 22, 2005 -- I'd like to take this opportunity to share with you and your team how pleased I am with the 90" Dakota tree spade that you mounted for me on September 26, 2005. This Dakota tree spade replaces one of three 90" tree spades that we currently have. We also have an 80" tree spade and a skid mounted 44". Over the past sixteen years we've had numerous tree spades of different sizes. I am the third generation in our family of growing trees. As a young man I worked for one of the largest wholesale nurseries in the United States in many different areas and have used a wide variety of machinery in the propagating of trees.

The three main things that attracted me to the Dakota 90" are the blade construction and material, the remote keypad operation, and the powder coat paint. However, there are many more things that I have discovered which are unique with the Dakota 90". I didn't realize just how many there were until I started using the spade every day. The Dakota 90" truly is much more than I expected. It is indeed, a full 90" as opposed to others that advertise as a 90 but are less. I believe the root ball is 500 to 1000 lbs. more than other 90" tree spades. The hydraulic tank and pump are separate from the water tank - which is a huge improvement. The new greaseless plastic that you have in the blade towers and lift track are also a great improvement. The increased hydraulic pressure obviously results in much more power than other spades I've owned. The multiple speed settings on the keypad on each function is another great feature. The use of your company vehicle when installing the tree spade and the two month checkup was more than I expected. I have spoken with many of your people since you mounted the tree spade with questions, and they always have answers for me. The one year warranty by far exceeds everyone else. There are a number of other features, too many to mention here, that make this the best tree spade I have ever owned.

Owning this state-of-the-art equipment, knowing the amount of time and resources that your company has put into this tree spade is very reassuring to me and I am excited about being part of the new generation of tree spades. If you, or any potential customers, have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact me. You and your entire team are a pleasure to work with.

Michael Perkins
Shermik Tree Farms, Inc.
(651) 462-5570
sherrishermik@aol.com
http://www.shermiktrees.com

My main purpose for purchasing the Dakota 440 was for our fairway topdressing program. We are currently topdressing our fairways four times a year. With 36 holes and 75 acres of fairways, we're spreading nearly 7,500 tons of sand per year. My main reason for selecting the Dakota 440 over its competitor was for the 5 yard hopper and for its versatility. Having all of the controls on the tractor, next to the operator is a major benefit. Our operator can make many different adjustments as he is going along. We have saved on labor with the addition of this unit by hauling and spreading 5 yards compared to 4 and by the use of the finger-touch controls. The Dakota also has an excellent spreading width and it is very uniform as well. If someone were starting a fairway topdressing program on their golf course, I would highly recommend this unit.

In addition to using this unit as a fairway topdresser, we've used it to haul seed, fertilizer and to off-load sand into many bunkers with the remote-controlled conveyer belt.  Overall, this unit has performed great and we will rely heavily on this unit for the years to come.

Steve Thomas
Director of Golf Course Maintenance
Pelican Hill Golf Club
(949) 759-5116

"In the past year I have topdressed 36 acres worth of fairways 3 times at an extremely heavy rate, finished a full on 77 bunker renovation, and spread almost 5000 yards of mulch. These huge projects were completed flawlessly all because of the outstanding piece of machinery you provide. Thanks again for a great product! "

Chris Harriman
Kinloch Golf Club
Richmond, VA

"The Dakota Soilmover (Model 1012) works great at ripping up compacted roads before grassing. I also eliminated the Dozer during finishing work on fairway construction."

Bob Kelly
Redstone Construction
Denver, CO