Abstract: The stems and limbs of a root crop plant are lifted from the ground, folded over a gathering bar, and grasped by an auger-paddle. The roots below the crop are severed by a cutter bar which resembles a rod weeder. While the crop is held the soil beneath the crop is pulled from the be in which the crop grows into a furrow on either side of the bed. As much as possible the root crop is cleaned as it is lifted up by the rotation of the paddle-auger while the limbs and stems of the plant are caught within the paddle-auger and held by the helicoil. After they are lifted free of the soil they are moved from two beds toward a furrow between those two beds and discharged in a windrow by a roller which rotates the opposite direction of the paddle-augers.

Abstract: A digger for root crops, such as peanuts, includes two or more digger units depended from a frame drafted by a tractor. Each digger unit includes a screw conveyor, a guide pair helically wrapped 180.degree. around the screw conveyor, and a hydraulic motor to rotate the screw conveyor. Stem and leaf portions of the plants extending above the bed surface are engaged within and moved rearward by flights of the rotating screw conveyor. The stems slide within the helical guide slot, which lifts the peanuts from the soil, moves them outboard of the conveyor, and inverts the plants above the conveyor. The conveyors are angled to the direction of draft so that the inverted plants are discharged from the slots in a windrow on the center furrow between the dug beds. A roller between the conveyors forms a mound or hill in the center furrow to elevate the windrow above standing water.