Stone Pickers: A Comprehensive Guide

Including Kivi-Pekka and Kongskilde | Agricultural, Construction, and Landscaping Uses

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🔍 What Is a Stone Picker?

A stone picker is a mechanized tool designed to remove stones and rocks from soil. Traditionally used in agriculture, stone pickers are now vital in land remediation, sports pitch construction, and landscaping. By mechanically lifting and separating rocks from the soil, they improve surface quality, protect equipment, and enhance plant or turf establishment.

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⚙️ How Do Stone Pickers Work?

Stone pickers operate using:

• Digging tines or blades to lift stones
• A conveyor to carry material
• A screen or sieve to separate soil from stones
• A stone bin to collect and dump rocks

Some models use chain conveyors, others use rotary beaters or paddles depending on the soil type and stone size.

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📅 When and Why to Use a Stone Picker

🌾 Agricultural Use

• Prepares seedbeds for sowing
• Prevents damage to tillage, seeding, and harvesting equipment
• Improves field passability and crop emergence

🌍 Land Remediation

• Removes debris from disused, brownfield, or post-construction sites
• Prepares land for conversion to agriculture, building, or conservation
• Commonly used in windfarm sites, pipeline routes, or mined land

🏟️ Sports Pitch Construction

• Creates stone-free topsoil layers for turfgrass
• Essential in leveling and grading football, golf, and sports fields
• Helps create a safe and consistent playing surface

🪴 Landscaping and Commercial Groundworks

• Used before turfing, planting, or paving
• Ideal for estate maintenance, new housing developments, or parklands
• Produces clean, level ground ready for aesthetics or function

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🔧 Applications by Sector

Sector	Benefits of Stone Pickers
Agriculture	Increased yield, reduced maintenance, equipment longevity
Land Remediation	Safer, cleaner surfaces for future use (agriculture, housing, conservation)
Sports Field Construction	Enhanced surface uniformity, improved drainage, turf performance
Landscaping	Prepares topsoil for turf, patios, gardens, and pathways

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🏆 Brand Focus: Kivi-Pekka vs Kongskilde

🔷 Kivi-Pekka (Finland)

Overview:
Heavy-duty, high-volume stone picker for extreme conditions. Built for commercial-scale operations and northern climates.

Key Features:

• Working widths: 4–6 meters
• Large hopper (up to 5,000 kg)
• Chain conveyor with soil-sifting sieves
• Two-row tine system for thorough collection
• Hydraulic tipping
• Optional features: side conveyor, rock windrower

Strengths:
✅ Handles large stones and dense fields
✅ Durable and easy to service
✅ High efficiency for large areas

Weaknesses:
❌ Expensive upfront
❌ Heavier machine; needs more tractor power

Best For:

• Contractors, large farms
• Rocky soils in Scandinavia, UK uplands, Canada
• Windfarm site prep, golf courses, or racecourses

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🔷 Kongskilde Stonebear (Denmark)

Overview:
Reliable and efficient stone picker for medium to light stony fields. Suited for agriculture and lighter commercial tasks.

Key Features:

• Working widths: 4–6.2 meters
• Rotor-driven collection
• PTO-operated conveyor
• Lighter stone hopper (~2,500 kg capacity)
• Lower power requirements

Strengths:
✅ More affordable
✅ Easier to handle
✅ Flexible for medium farms and landscaping

Weaknesses:
❌ Less suitable for large or heavy rock
❌ May need multiple passes in dense fields

Best For:

• Medium-sized farms
• Sports pitch groundworks
• Landscaping and local authority use

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📊 Feature Comparison Table

Feature	Kivi-Pekka	Kongskilde Stonebear
Working Widths	4m, 5m, 6m	4m, 5.2m, 6.2m
Stone Capacity	Up to 5,000 kg	~2,000–2,500 kg
Conveyor Type	Chain + Sieve	Rotor + Screen
Soil Separation Quality	Very High	High
Ideal Stone Size	Medium to Large	Small to Medium
Build Quality	Industrial-grade	Heavy-duty farm-grade
PTO Power Requirement	70–120 HP	60–100 HP
Target Markets	Agriculture, remediation, sports	Farming, landscaping, sports
Price Range (Estimate)	£££	££

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🧠 Choosing the Right Stone Picker

✅ Consider:

• Stone Size & Quantity – Larger, deeper stones need more aggressive systems like Kivi-Pekka.
• Application – Are you farming, landscaping, or constructing?
• Surface Area – Larger areas benefit from high-capacity machines.
• Tractor Compatibility – Match the picker’s PTO and weight requirements.
• Frequency of Use – Contractors may need higher-end gear.

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🌐 Other Brands to Know

• Degelman (Canada) – Widely used in land clearing and western Canada.
• Elho Scorpio (Finland) – Fully hydraulic, very precise for sports and high-end landscaping.
• Schulte (Canada) – Rock windrowers and pickers for large acreage.

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📝 Final Takeaways

Stone pickers are multi-sector workhorses, increasingly valuable outside of traditional farming. Whether you’re sowing crops, building a football pitch, or reclaiming post-industrial land, they:

• Save time and labor
• Reduce risk of equipment damage
• Improve surface quality for function or appearance

Kivi-Pekka = High-capacity, heavy-duty, versatile
Kongskilde = Mid-range, cost-efficient, adaptable