Stalky crop harvesting system and process

A harvesting head for harvesting crops for Cannabidiol recovery, the harvesting head comprising:

• (A) a main frame having front and rear ends and left and right ends;
• (B) a sickle cutter mounted on the main frame and extending between the left and right ends of the main frame in the vicinity of the front of the main frame;
• (C) a rotatable gathering reel mounted on the main frame above the sickle cutter, the gathering reel including a reel support frame mounted on the main frame and a rotatable reel mounted on the reel support frame, the reel support frame including first and second laterally opposed support arm assemblies, each of which includes an upper support arm extending upwardly and forwardly from the main frame and a lower support arm having a lower front end bearing a respective end of a shaft of the rotary reel and an upper rear end mounted on the upper support arm;
• (D) a conveyor mounted on the main frame behind the sickle cutter and underneath the reel support frame and extending between the left and right ends of the main frame, the conveyor being at least 48 inches wide, having a discharge end located adjacent one of the left end and the right end the main frame, and being configured to receive cut materials directed thereto by the reel and to transport those materials to the discharge end thereof;
• (E) an offload boom extending laterally away from the frame and having an inlet end located adjacent the discharge end of the conveyor and a discharge end, the offload boom including 1) an offload boom frame having an inlet end mounted on the main frame beneath and independently of the reel support frame and having a discharge end disposed laterally outboard of the main frame, and 2) a conveyor mounted on the offload boom frame and having an inlet end and a discharge end, the offload boom being at least 48 inches wide;
• and
• (F) a mount located in the vicinity of the rear end of the main frame and configured for quick attachment to a front attachment of a power unit.

A method of harvesting stalky plants for Cannabidiol recovery, the method comprising:

• (A) providing a harvesting head mounted on a power unit, the harvesting head including a main frame;
• (B) vertically moving the harvesting head to a harvesting position;
• and,
• (C) using the harvesting head
• (1) cutting off at least a portion of the plants using a sickle cutter extending longitudinally of the harvesting head and mounted on the main frame;
• (2) directing the cut plants longitudinally of the harvesting head and laterally of the power unit, the directing being performed by a gathering reel located above the sickle cutter, the gathering reel including a reel support frame mounted on the main frame and a rotatable reel mounted on the reel support frame, the reel support frame including first and second laterally opposed support arm assemblies, each of which includes an upper support aim extending upwardly and forwardly from the main frame and a lower support arm having a lower front end bearing a respective end of a shaft of the rotary reel and an upper rear end mounted on the upper support arm;
• (3) using a first conveyor, directing the cut plants, longitudinally of the harvesting head, away from the harvesting head the first conveyor being at least 48 inches wide, being mounted on. the main support frame behind the sickle cutter and beneath the reel support frame, and having a discharge end, and
• (4) discharging the cut plants from the harvesting head using an offload boom having an offload boom frame and having a second conveyor that is mounted on the offload boom frame and that receives cut plants from the first conveyor, the offload boom being at least 48 inches wide, the offload boom having an inlet end and a discharge end, the inlet end of the offload boom being disposed adjacent the discharge end of the first conveyor and being mounted on the main frame of the harvesting head at location beneath and independently of the reel support frame, and the discharge end of the offload boom located laterally beyond the power unit.