the history behind the harvestors
Meet The Magnum Team
About Magnum
Today’s Magnum Harvester line of sod harvesting equipment traces its roots from a sod farm located in Bucyrus, Kansas, the original and current home of Dover Sodding.It’s a family-owned team with a tradition of success in the turf business –successfully farming while creating innovative harvesting machinery for higher yields and more profit per acre.
Since we also cut and sell sod, we know the value of good service. That’s why every component part and process we use in building Magnum Harvesters is the highest quality. We’ll set up, install and fine-tune your machine(s) for you. We’ll train your people and we’ll back our product to the hilt.
History
Bucyrus, Kansas, the original and current home of Dover Sodding.Dover Sodding was established in 1972 by Gary and Carol Dover. Through the years, Gary Dover dreamed of new ways to harvest and install sod that would make it easier on crews, more consistent in production and more profitable through labor savings and efficient handling. He created the first big roll harvester in 1989.
In the spring of 1991 the first “big roll” harvesters were released to production in a small work shop on the turf farm. The Magnum Harvester gained fast acceptance in the industry and after four years at the farm, the company moved to a purpose-built 30,000 square foot manufacturing and warehouse facility in Hillsdale, KS, just 10 miles away from its turf farm roots.
From the original Magnum Harvester machine, a product line has now grown to include several models and a complete line of netting, stakes, tubes and related sod accessories.
Bucyrus Equipment Company and Dover Sodding are a family affair to this day. Gary and Carol Dover help their sons, Steven and Ronnie, operate both companies. Steven is Vice President and runs the day-to-day operations of Bucyrus Equipment. Ronnie looks after the day-to-day operations of Dover Sodding.