LAKE LEELANAU, Mich. – On May 13, Sykora Auction Service hosted an online retirement auction for Frammi Enterprises, a cherry orchard and fruit farm operation. Many of the 51 lots offered were orchard-specific, including sprayers, tree shakers, and cherry tanks, along with general agricultural machinery, trucks, trailers, and shop tools.

The top-selling item was a Coe C7 tree shaker with removable wings for 12-foot spacing, sold with a Coe L2 receiver – both refurbished in 2014. The pair brought in $58,000. A Curtec 3000 air curtain sprayer, used for just 3½ seasons, sold for $31,000. It came with a 400-gallon stainless tank, Mid-Tech TASA-611 rate controller, main cab electric controls, and a walking tandem axle. Another sprayer, a BEI Curtec 2000 with 4,216 hours, reached a final bid of $7,750. It featured a 540 PTO, hydraulic pump, 350-gallon capacity, cab controls, and walking tandem axle.

Bidding hit $13,250 for a Gillison GVF1029R double 12-foot sickle bar topper hedger, outfitted with a 540 PTO and self-contained hydraulic pump. Later, a self-propelled Frammi pruning tower, with a Wisconsin 2-cylinder gas engine, 7-foot lift, and a pallet of miscellaneous parts/supplies, went for just $950. And various collections of stackable cherry tanks sold from $315 for a set of nine Purvis 2nd-generations tanks, to $2,600 for a set of 20 Wheelock Universal stackables.

Five tractors were on the block. Two topped out at $28,500: a 2015 John Deere 6125 2WD diesel with 2,290 hours, and a 2015 Deere 6115M 2WD diesel with 2,004 hours. Both were cab models with 16/16 transmissions, reversers, dual hydraulic ports, A/C, heat, and 11L15 front tires and 18.4R26W/8 rears with various wheel weights. At the lower end, a 2004 John Deere 5320 2WD with 1,678 hours went for $13,250. It came with a ROPS, 9/3 sync-shuttle transmission, two SVCs, 11L15 front tires, and 16.9-28 rears with 4 rear wheel weights.

Other agricultural equipment drew solid interest as well. A John Deere 111 hydraulic 11-foot wheel disc, equipped with 20-inch front and 19-inch rear discs, brought in a final price of $1,800. Selling for less than half that amount was a Calhoun 4-ton stainless steel fertilizer spreader, featuring an 8-inch stainless chain, 11Lx15-inch flotation tires, and a 540 PTO – it changed hands for $850. Close behind, a Brillion 9-foot Cultipacker with a hydraulic transport carrier was taken home for just $800.

Among the heavy equipment available, a 2016 Komatsu WA320 wheel loader brought the second-highest bid of the day at $46,000. The reconditioned unit came with a hydrostatic transmission, GP bucket, JRB quick coupler, and 20.5R25 tires front and rear. Another offering was a Manitou MSI 30T diesel forklift with 2,269 hours, which commanded a final price of $21,000. Features included a ROPS cab, 15-foot-lift height, 6,000-pound lift capacity, hydrostatic transmission, side shift, and pneumatic 14-17.5 NHS tires.

Two trucks also crossed the block. A 2005 Ford F750 Super Duty flatbed with just 26,941 miles rolled away for $13,750. It featured a 12-foot by 96-inch bed capable of carrying six cherry tanks, plus air brakes and a gooseneck ball hitch. Meanwhile, an older model – a 1969 Chevrolet C-50 flatbed with 81,004 miles and a V8 350ci engine – was let go for $1,300. Its 14-foot by 96-inch bed could accommodate eight cherry tanks.

To go with those trucks were seven trailers. The top seller among them was an assembled 3-axle tag trailer, equipped with a pintle hitch and a 13-foot by 96-inch bed designed to haul six cherry tanks. It brought in $1,200. The remaining six trailers were shop-built, 18-foot models, each capable of holding three standard cherry boxes. These sold from $375 to $600.

Other items from the operation also drew interest. A 6-foot by 30-inch Frammi welding table with a ½-inch steel plate top, vise, 120-volt auxiliary outlets, and wheel kit scored a $600 bid. A Delta 57-gallon steel portable auxiliary fuel tank, built for pickup use, complete with a hand pump, sold for $200. Bidders also picked up mixed sets of wooden picking ladders, which went for prices ranging from $6.50 to $9.50 apiece.

For information on Sykora’s upcoming auctions, visit:  sykoraauctions.com.