38 POTATO GROWER | JANUARY 2021
162809Baicor13s.indd 1 10/25/16 2:58 PM
Rietveld installers covered in 2020. And
even though it hasn't been convenient,
John says he's grateful they've been able
to stay busy.
"We cook our own meals, we have our
own place to stay, it's limited a lot of our
contact with other people. Some of the
places we've been have been hit hard
with COVID when we're there, so we're
happy to be in our own little world."
A Rietveld install crew typically consists
of three people, who are usually able to
complete construction of a full potato
washing, sorting and packaging line in
four to five days, followed by another
seven to 10 days of programming and
electrical setup, which can usually be
done by a single person.
"Look," John says after recalling a recent
planned two-week trip that ultimately
stretched to 31 days, "I wouldn't say
it's been fun; I'd rather not go through
another pandemic. But whether it's in
machinery or in production, everyone has
to eat, and the agriculture markets will
come back. I've been in agriculture my
whole life, and right now I'm pretty glad
to be in this industry."
A new Meconaf Air Knife, which is used for drying
potatoes after washing, undergoing a factory test
before shipping to the U.S.
The Rietveld Equipment crew installs an Allround
vegetable washer on site for a U.S. customer.
A washer and skins separator line assembled and
ready for factory testing at the Allround factory
