Straight lines and a strong business: how tractor tech keeps pitch maintenance on the straight and narrow

When you’re responsible for keeping football pitches, cricket outfields and golf courses in top condition, consistency matters.

For Ben Bierley, owner of Lincolnshire-based turf maintenance business Grass Roots, that consistency now comes in the form of a John Deere 4066R compact utility tractor.

Ben invested in the tractor earlier this year, pairing it with John Deere’s Precision Essentials package. The result has been a transformation in how he works: less operator fatigue, less waste, more precision, and ultimately better results for clients.

“It’s not that you can’t drive straight without GPS,” Ben says. “Of course you can. But doing it hour after hour is draining, and even the smallest lapse in concentration can throw things out. AutoTrac takes that burden away, which means every pass looks exactly the same, and I can concentrate on making sure the machine is doing its job properly.”

Looking for more power and comfort

Grassroots may be a relatively small company, employing four people, but demand for its specialist services has been steadily growing. From seeding and fertilising to Verti-Draining and spraying, Ben found that his previous tractors were beginning to hold him back.

“They were fine for smaller jobs,” he says, “but I wanted more lift power, more comfort, and more technology. Some of the bigger implements like a seed drill and the Verti-Drain were pushing the limits of what my old kit could do. And spending 10 hours in the seat without air conditioning or proper suspension is pretty tough.”

By early 2025, he was ready to make a change. After speaking with Ben Burgess at Swineshead, he invested in a John Deere 4066R. “For me, it felt like the sweet spot,” he says. “It’s got the grunt for heavier jobs, but it’s still compact and manoeuvrable enough to go onto sports pitches and golf courses without causing damage. That balance was really important.”

Everyday versatility

The 4066R has quickly become the workhorse of the Grassroots fleet. With 65 horsepower and strong lift capacity, it handles the full range of implements the business relies on — from drills and sprayers to aerators and mowers.

“It’s a proper all-rounder,” says Ben. “We’ve got a smaller tractor as well, but this is the one I use the most. The bigger implements go on here, and it copes easily.”

The comfort of the cab has also made a significant difference. “When you’re in there all day, it’s a completely different experience compared to what I had before. The layout is good, the visibility’s great, and the air con makes a big difference. It’s just a much more pleasant place to work, and that makes you sharper at the end of the day.”

Opening the door to technology

Alongside the tractor, Ben made a decision that he says is already paying off: adding John Deere’s Precision Essentials package.

This package equips the tractor with a G5 Plus screen, StarFire 7500 receiver and a modem that connects directly to the John Deere Operations Center. Crucially, it enables AutoTrac, which means Ben could use John Deere’s guidance system that keeps the tractor precisely on line across the field, pitch or fairway.

“For me, it was a way into technology without a massive upfront cost,” says Ben. “I’ve seen the bigger contractors using it, and I didn’t want to be left behind.”

Ben is already thinking about how to expand the benefits further. His second tractor — a smaller 40-horsepower compact utility model — has already been fitted with a John Deere modem for telematics, allowing him to track its location and performance data.

In future, he would like to add the full Precision Essentials package to that machine too. “I’ll probably do it when the next tractor change comes up,” he says. “Once you’ve seen the difference the technology makes, you want it across your whole fleet.”

Consistency that clients can see

The most noticeable difference has been in the quality of finish.

“When I’m seeding or spraying, I know every pass is exactly where it should be,” Ben explains. “There’s no overlap, no gaps. That means no wasted seed, no wasted fertiliser — and you get those clean, straight stripes that really show the job’s been done well. Clients notice that immediately.”

He adds: “Before, you’d spend a lot of energy just focussing on keeping the lines right. Now I can look back at the implement, check it’s working as it should, and let the tractor take care of the steering. It just makes everything more consistent.”

Saving time, fuel and inputs

Grassroots has also seen measurable savings. Seed and fertiliser are expensive, and avoiding even small overlaps translates into real cost reductions.

“If you’re seeding a football pitch and you overlap by a foot on every pass, you’re wasting a lot of money,” Ben says. “When seed costs more than £100 a bag, that soon adds up. With AutoTrac, I know I’m bang on every time.”

Fuel efficiency has improved too. Using the Operations Center app, Ben can track exactly how much fuel is used per job, including idle time. “Before, I was guessing how much a job might cost in diesel,” he says. “Now I can look at the data and know precisely. It’s much better for quoting and for understanding the costs in my business.”

On long days, the benefit is just as much about operator wellbeing. “I can be out there for 10 or 12 hours, especially in the summer. With AutoTrac, I finish the day feeling fresher. It takes that mental load off, and I can focus on the quality of the work instead.”

Small business, big mindset

“I can see where the industry is going. More and more contractors are using technology, and I don’t want to be left behind,” Ben says.

He believes Precision Essentials is the right entry point for businesses like his. “It’s a gateway into precision farming and turf-care technology. You don’t need to be running hundreds of machines or working across the whole country to benefit from it. Even at our scale, it makes sense.

“I’m still learning everything it can do. But even just using AutoTrac, I can see the difference it’s made already. It’s saving money, saving fuel, making the jobs easier, and the pitches look better. That’s what matters most.”

For Ben, the 4066R and Precision Essentials have proved to be the perfect combination: a compact tractor with enough power and comfort for long days, paired with technology that improves efficiency and consistency.

“It’s been a brilliant investment,” he says. “The tractor does everything I need, and the technology makes the work more accurate, more professional and less tiring. For me, that’s a win all round.”