"A simple, effective bale hydrator to aid growers"

Increasing labor costs. Increasing consumable costs. Increasing operation costs. Will it ever stop? Unfortunately, based on historical data, the answer seems to be a resounding no.

These ever-increasing costs are a major detriment to the success of a business because they eat away at the bottom line. Yes, some of these costs could be passed down to the next point of sale, but there is a breaking point where it is just not feasible.

A concerning trend is that increased costs are due to many factors that are out of the grower's control.

What to do about it?
Bold Robotic Solutions is constantly looking at ways to develop solutions that will help growers gain control of some of these costs. One such solution is Bold's Bale Hydrator.

The original concept was originally developed by Rodney and Robert Bierhuizen of Sunrise Greenhouses back in 2016. They built a prototype from common greenhouse components, and when they became acquainted with Bold, they handed the idea over so it could be developed further into a production model.

Why hydrate your soil?
A common practice among many growers is to introduce water into the bales of soil prior to being processed in the bale shaving machines. Some of the benefits of pre-hydrating the soil are increased soil volume (up to 12%), and reduced dust during the shaving/fluffing process, leads to a cleaner working environment and cleaner air for operators to breathe.

How was this process done in the past? (Or for many growers, how is it being done currently?)
The standard practice for this process was having someone climb up a ladder, and insert prongs attached to a water hose into the top of the bale and then turn on the water for a period of time.

It is a major ergonomic and safety issue to have individuals climbing atop unstable bales of soil. In one case, there was a sad incident that resulted in loss of life when someone fell off the ladder when trying to place the prongs into the soil.

Another issue with this process is the consistency of water being placed into the soil. If the operator does not properly place the prongs into the soil (deep enough, or in the right position) then minimal water will be injected and absorbed into the soil. If the operator forgets to turn off the water, the soil will become too saturated and fall apart prior to being placed in the potting machine.

How does Bold's Bale Hydrator work?
The operator places the bale of soil into the machine using a forklift or pump cart, sets the length of time and flow of water and then presses start on the Industrial Touch Screen. The Hydrator has strategically positioned injector prongs, which penetrate the soil to a full depth at which point the water valve will turn on and slowly inject water into the bale.

This slow release of water allows for the capillary action to work its magic through the soil, which always results in a consistently saturated bale of soil.

How does this resolve the concerns?
First and foremost, this machine creates a safe work environment for the operator, by eliminating the need to climb to the top of the bales.

Second, the production result is better consistency from bale to bale, not relying on an operator to remember to properly inject the bale and to turn off the water after a period of time.

And finally, the greenhouse operator is able to fill 12% more pots or trays with soil by using pre-hydrated soil, a major cost-savings, with the added benefit of reduced dust and dirt build up in the potting area.

Where is this being used?
Boekestyn Greenhouses participated in a "Try and Buy" arrangement with Bold, where they had the opportunity to use the solution for a month before committing to purchasing the machine. While this is not a typical arrangement, this was an advantageous approach for both Bold and Boekestyn.

"We purchased a bale hydrator from Bold and are very happy with the way it works. It's a great machine that makes it a quick and easy process to hydrate our bales of soil," said Brad Boekestyn of Boekstyn Greenhouses. "Working with Bold was a great experience, and I would highly recommend Bold for your next automation project."