Flaman Rentals Blog

How a Rock Picker and Windrower in One Could Work for You

Posted by Jeff Brown Mar 06, 2025

Schulte’s inescapable 1935 is like RoboCop for rocks.

A single rock picker/rock rower unit sounds great, but can it pay for itself? Here’s how the Schulte RW-1935 Spartan Rock Picker Windrower answers that question.
 
Consider rising repair costs. 
“Equipment likes to run, and rocks like to break down equipment. That’s nothing new,” says Kevin Kulak, Flaman’s Territory Manager for Alberta’s Peace Country. “Fifteen to 20 years ago, a rock getting into a combine might cause a few hundred to maybe a couple thousand damage. You mainly lost time.

“But today’s equipment is intricately designed to run quicker with more efficient intake. If the header picks up a rock that goes through the combine, repairs could cost tens of thousands of dollars. They could even reach six figures.” 

Doing two jobs at once saves you the extra pass.

More Speed for More Acres 
Kevin sees some truth in the idea that bigger, faster, more sophisticated machinery is a response to bigger farms. 

“Following seeding and harvesting equipment, rock pickers are getting bigger, wider, and faster. Farmers are looking for more of a quick, blanket approach to more efficient rock picking.”  

That’s why Flaman locations, including Kevin’s store in Fairview, offer the Spartan. Its central rock picker is fed by two adjustable side rowers that can widen to 19 feet for quick field coverage. Or they can “wing in” to 16’ to corral heavier rock and net finer rock. You can also adjust a single rock rower for certain field conditions. Working depth settings down to 4.25” can dislodge partially exposed stones. 

Bigger high-dump bucket means less rock pile runs.

 “A rock rake and rock picker in one that can cover 16 to 19 feet in one pass is easily more efficient than the old way of raking and then going with the rock pickers,” Kevin says. “The other benefit of this rock picker is the size of the bucket- 3 ½ cubic yards, so you don’t have to spend a lot of time going back and forth, dumping. That also appeals to farmers who are picking smaller rocks, just to clear the path for harvesting or baling.” 

Appreciable as these time savings are, Kevin still believes the 1935’s marquee feature is protecting your valuable harvesting and baling equipment from damage. It’s built to protect itself, too.  

Damage resistance for years of service

Durability and Longevity 
Rocks keep coming back every season. So will the Spartan. Schulte’s durable mowers and cutters have won praise from commercial users across North America, and this rock picker/windrower is built to do the same.

Damage-resistant features like hard-surfaced teeth and batt reels safely pick up rocks up to 27” in diameter. A T-iron gate and spring-loaded batts prevent rock jamming, while a hydraulic relief valve system bypasses clots of rocks and dirt until you remove them. It even features a military-grade oil cooler used in Iraq.

Schulte’s designers also addressed hillier terrain, like that found in the Peace country, with a tandem-axle walking wheel system for superior ground following and flotation.

“The settings on this Spartan unit can be set to handle hillsides,” Kevin says. “Not extreme hillsides, but it can handle the majority of land contours we find in Western Canada.” 

Where to Find Long-Lasting, Time Saving Protection for Your Valuable Equipment
Call or visit your nearest Flaman location and ask our rock removal experts about the features that make Schulte’s innovative 1935 Spartan a great long-term investment.