OK Champion Potato Digger

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Champion Potato Machinery

c. 1910

Overview

This is an O.K. Champion Potato Digger, missing the driver’s seat, which would have been used by a local farmer to harvest their potato crop.

Potato Diggers are machines that harvest potatoes and an early version of the modern potato harvester. They work by digging the potatoes from the ground using a share. Soil and potatoes were then transferred onto a moving chain metal elevator where the loose soil is sieved out. The potatoes then moved towards the back of the harvester on to a separation unit and from there into a catching box that could hold up to a ton of potatoes. Once the catching box was emptied people would pick out the remaining stones, clods, and haulms (stems or stalks) by hand.

Historical information

Champion Potato Machinery Company had this to say about their digger.

“The O.K. Champion is the most durable, perfect, strongest and simplest Two Horse Elevator Digger on the market. It is constructed so that two ordinary sized horses draw it easily and do satisfactory work. One of its important features is the Elevator chain, which is made of crucible steel, having its links raised and lowered alternately, which gives it a great elevating and separating capacity.”

In 1902 R Meyer a potato farmer from Hammond, Indiana had this to say about the digger.

“In regard to the O.K. Champion Digger that I bought of you last Fall, I can say it has done excellent work in both clay bottom and black soil. A number of my neighbours seen it work, and were so much taken up with the good work and easy draft that they said they would have one by next season. It is certainly the best two-horse elevator potato digger in the field today.”

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-124-2022.3

Item type

Material

Themes

Inscriptions and markings

On the sides of the main body
OK CHAMPION HAMMOND IND 1910 MODEL
D46L
PATENTED SEPT 11 1906
D55 1/2B

On front wheel draw bar
D447
CHAMPION POTATO MACH CO
HAMMOND IN.

Contextual Information

Potatoes have been farmed in the Busselton area since the establishment of the Vasse settlement. The early settlers used to sell their excess potatoes to the whaling ships that plied the coast.

It is thought that this Potato Digger was originally owned by Arthur Javens of Whakinup but there is no record of how it made its way to Busselton.

The Butcher Bros, who donated the digger to the Museum, were Busselton Butchers who owned a number of properties in the Busselton area and yes their surname was Butcher.

Keywords

Busselton

Farm Machinery

Potato Growing

Place made

Hammond
Indiana
United States

Year

c. 1910

Primary significance criteria

Historic significance

Social or spiritual significance

Comparative significance criteria