The invention relates to a method for stripping leaves and/or flowers from a stalk (1), in particular for stripping cannabis leaves and/or cannabis flowers from a stalk (1). Thereby, a loop (2) is formed around the stalk (1) to be stripped, which is formed at least in a partial area from flexurally elastic or flexurally slack loop means (3, 3a, 3b) which have tensile strength in the direction of the loop. The stalk (1) is then pulled through the loop (2) in the longitudinal direction of the stalk, with the leaves and/or flowers being stripped from the stalk (1). The invention makes it possible to strip the leaves or flowers, respectively, more easily and directly from the surface of the stalk (1), such that they can be substantially harvested better, faster and with less damage. Less preparatory work is also required.

An asparagus harvester includes a chassis movable over a bed of growing asparagus. Spears above a selected height are severed at the ground by a severing assembly. A conveyor receives from a pick-up apparatus and conveys away asparagus spears severed by the severing assembly. The severing assembly includes a severing blade carried by a plunger mounted in a pneumatic cylinder. Conduits couple the pneumatic cylinder to a source of air under pressure through a valve unit operable for actuating the pneumatic cylinder to repeatedly fire and withdraw the plunger for repeatedly moving the severing blade back-and-forth along a stroke path between a raised set position and a lowered severing position proximate to the ground. A heater mounted proximate to the valve unit is configured to sufficiently heat the valve unit to enable the valve unit to operate in the presence of an ambient temperature sufficiently low to impair its operation.

A combine and combine conversion for collecting agricultural plants in a manner that separates various parts of the plants for collection or disposal. A combine is provided with an improved system for collecting and cleaning seed of an agricultural material such as cannabis while collecting lightweight chaff, such as trichomes, and returning stalks back to the agricultural field. The system provides for rapid conversion of a combine to seed and chaff collection and back again.

A combine and combine conversion for collecting agricultural plants in a manner that separates various parts of the plants for collection or disposal. A combine is provided with an improved system for collecting and cleaning seed of an agricultural material such as cannabis while collecting lightweight chaff, such as trichomes, and returning stalks back to the agricultural field. The system provides for rapid conversion of a combine to seed and chaff collection and back again.

An automated crop production system for controlled environment agriculture that includes a horizontal-to-vertical grow tower interface between a vertical grow structure that includes vertical grow towers and associated conveyance mechanisms for moving the vertical grow towers through a controlled environment, and a processing system that performs one or more processing operations—such as harvesting, cleaning and/or transplanting—on the grow towers in a substantially horizontal orientation. The present disclosure also describes an automated crop production system for controlled environment agriculture that selectively routes grow towers through various processing stages of an automated crop production system.

Provided are a system, method(s), and apparatus for automatically harvesting mushrooms from a mushroom bed. The system, in one implementation, may be referred to herein as an “automated harvester”, having at least an apparatus/frame/body/structure for supporting and positioning the harvester on a mushroom bed, a vision system for scanning and identifying mushrooms in the mushroom bed, a picking system for harvesting the mushrooms from the bed, and a control system for directing the picking system according to data acquired by the vision system. Various other components, sub-systems, and connected systems may also be integrated into or coupled to the automated harvester.

A harvester for broccoli which is movable along a plant row of broccoli, the broccoli comprising a stem rising up from the ground and a head on top of the stem. The harvester includes a first wheel and a second wheel, which wheels cooperate and are generally horizontally oriented with reference to the ground from which the broccoli is standing up and from which the broccoli is to be harvested. The first and second wheels are each rotatable around a vertical axis and define a path for the stems of the broccoli to pass through at least in part. The first and second wheels are arranged on different altitudes with reference to the ground so that the first and second wheels partly overlap, and each of the first and second wheels comprises fingers protruding away from the vertical axis of the wheels so that the fingers of the first wheel during rotation of the first wheel point towards the second wheel and the fingers of the second wheel during rotation of the second wheel point towards the first wheel completely cross the path defined by the first and second wheels so as to provide a restriction for the stems of the broccoli at least partially passing the path.

A harvester for broccoli which is movable along a plant row of broccoli, the broccoli comprising a stem rising up from the ground and a head on top of the stem. The harvester includes a first wheel and a second wheel, which wheels cooperate and are generally horizontally oriented with reference to the ground from which the broccoli is standing up and from which the broccoli is to be harvested. The first and second wheels are each rotatable around a vertical axis and define a path for the stems of the broccoli to pass through at least in part. The first and second wheels are arranged on different altitudes with reference to the ground so that the first and second wheels partly overlap, and each of the first and second wheels comprises fingers protruding away from the vertical axis of the wheels so that the fingers of the first wheel during rotation of the first wheel point towards the second wheel and the fingers of the second wheel during rotation of the second wheel point towards the first wheel completely cross the path defined by the first and second wheels so as to provide a restriction for the stems of the broccoli at least partially passing the path.

A header to be coupled to an agricultural machine, such as harvesters of tall and stemmed plants, and sugar cane and sorghum. The header includes at least one base cutting assembly mounted in a floating manner in relation to a structural frame of the header through at least one pantographic arm and at least one actuator.

A system for removing parts from plants rooted in an agricultural field while leaving other parts of the plants rooted in the agricultural field may include a harvester apparatus with an intake throat formed by structures such as the combination of an infeed head and infeed conveyor, a pair of stripping assemblies including stripping belts, or stripping assemblies including stripping members such as chains.