Performance of Innovative Native Seed Harvester

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: Annually wildfires, construction, mining, and noxious weed infestations damage millions of acres of vegetation. Public policy encourages land managers to restore damaged land by reseeding native plant species. The core US market exceeds 15,000 seed producers using inefficient methods to harvest difficult to harvest seed of native plants. Demand for large amounts of seed is driven by restoration requirements of the BLM, Forest Service, and CRP. The seed of desirable species can be expensive and scarce as a result of harvest characteristics including indeterminacy and being prone to shatter. Arbuckle Ranch has designed a patent pending harvest technology specifically for difficult-to-harvest native seeds. The Arbuckle design incorporates the effective utility of a brush and comb to gently sweep the seed from the plant head, permitting multiple harvest passes without damage to the plant. The increased harvest efficiency promises to exceed all presently available methods. Arbuckle Ranch's market study indicates keen interest among seed producers in efficient, low-cost, low maintenance harvest equipment adaptable to multiple species. Arbuckle technology will permit seed producers to increase seed recovery from existing plots and augment their line of native plant species. Arbuckle Ranch will first market the harvester to seed producers nationally and then expand to serve existing global niche markets.