From ‘Juggling’ Settings to Automatic Precision:

At Van Haarlem in Buurmalsen, tradition and the technology of tomorrow go hand in hand. At this family business, where everything revolves around growing apples and pears on over 100 hectares, the fresh influx of the new generation keeps the focus sharply on the future. However, the way these fruits are protected has radically changed due to the switch to Excellent Spraying.

“With BBLeap, I never have to look at my pressure again” 

The road to a cleaner world begins in the orchard

For the Van Haarlem family, sustainability is not a buzzword but a practical necessity for healthy business operations. “It’s simply a waste when product blows somewhere else instead of onto the tree,” Alex van Haarlem explains. By reducing drift to a minimum and only applying products where they are effective, they contribute directly to a cleaner environment without sacrificing the protection of their crop.

“It’s simply a waste when product blows somewhere else instead of onto the tree.” 

The contrast between generations: From workarounds to automation

In modern business operations, the company sought a way to use products more efficiently while optimizing coverage, without the driver having to constantly perform manual corrections. The purchase of the new KWH LeapEdition created a striking contrast within the company. While Alex still regularly drives the conventional sprayer, his son Roy works almost exclusively with the pulsating system. Roy is, in effect, the ‘spoiled’ new generation; he steps in the cabin, and the machine handles the rest.

Problem recognition: The limitations of the past

In the past, spraying was a process of ‘just not quite right’. Where Roy now relies on automation, Alex spent years ‘juggling’ settings to mask the technical limitations of his machine. “When I turn on my ‘conventional’ sprayer, it takes a few seconds before the pressure reaches the last nozzle. That takes much too long,” Alex says. That lag in the valves and long hoses meant the first and last meters of a row were always a problem.

To still achieve an acceptable result, creative workarounds were daily bread. Think of manually locking the pressure or setting an artificially high minimum speed to ‘fool’ the machine’s slow pressure regulation when entering a row. The result was a constant struggle: when braking at headlands, too much was often sprayed unintentionally—you drive slower, but your sprayer keeps going at full power—which, with sensitive products, could even cause leaf damage.

“When I turn on my ‘conventional’ sprayer, it takes a few seconds before the pressure reaches the last nozzles—that takes much too long.” 

The grower’s need: 100% control in the row

The family looked for a system that gave control back to the driver. They needed a machine that always delivers the right pressure and droplet size, regardless of speed. Whether it involves tight headlands or the difference between the bottom and the top of the tree, the technology had to execute the grower’s strategy flawlessly without concessions. Previously, Alex had to manually turn off nozzles for young plantings using a ladder; a time-consuming task that, on a three-row sprayer, quickly turns into a lot of climbing. They needed a system that is “always right,” no matter who is on the tractor or how fast they drive.

“When you have a tight headland at the end and you brake, it keeps pulsing. Instead of giving the last trees twice as much, every tree now gets exactly what it needs”.

The solution: “Pulsing makes the difference”

With the arrival of the LeapEdition, the aforementioned tricks and workarounds are a thing of the past. The machine takes over the technical complexity entirely, so the result—regardless of driving speed or location in the orchard—is always 100% correct. The basis for this is the integration of the LeapBox on their KWH sprayer, making the reaction time nearly instantaneous. The system uses PWM technology (pulsing), which regulates the application per nozzle, ensuring the pressure—and thus the droplet spectrum—remains constant at all times.

This has completely changed the dynamics in the cabin. Where a traditional sprayer often applies too much product or loses the ideal droplet size when slowing down at the headland, the LeapBox continues to perform consistently. 

Alex explains: “When you have a tight headland at the end and you brake, it keeps pulsing. Instead of giving the last trees twice as much, every tree now gets exactly what it needs”. Because the system reacts instantly, without the lag that central valves normally cause, precision is now guaranteed. 

Uploading prescription maps via LeapSpace also runs flawlessly. Roy notes: “Within 10 minutes, the map is on the machine. It doesn’t take much effort”.

“The ultimate proof is the peace of mind in the cabin: I never have to look at my pressure again.”

The BBLeap approach: Why it really works

The system excels in reliability and integration. Everything is operated via a single joystick and is fully integrated into the tractor’s Fendt system. For Alex and Roy, the ultimate proof is the peace in the cabin: “I never have to look at my pressure again”. The machine monitors itself; if a nozzle can no longer handle the output, the system immediately gives a notification. This ‘It just works’ feeling allows the grower to focus on the tree instead of the buttons.

Future perspective: Toward Plant Precision

Although the family currently works with task maps, they are watching the possibilities of LeapEye cameras with great interest. Alex expects that real-time detection of leaf mass and gaps is the next step to save even more on products and work more efficiently without having to record maps beforehand. The possibility of detecting blossom for precision thinning is seen as the ultimate form of craftsmanship.

“Making the Leap”: Advice to fellow growers

What would Alex and Roy say to colleagues who are still hesitating? The technology not only makes the work easier but also more accurate in the places where it matters. The enormous time savings through digital operation and the certainty of a perfect spraying result at any speed make it worth the investment. As Alex summarizes: “The LeapEdition automatically sprays less when you drive slower… that is really top-notch about BBLeap”.

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