History
Thistle Dismissal project
The GrubIt began as a Science Fair project when we were in Year 8 at Taupo Intermediate School. Both of us are from a farming background. While trying to think of an idea for our technology project the horrible task of grubbing thistles kept coming up. Grubbing became the obvious choice for a chore requiring a new improved method - the basis for all inventions. After much trial and error, (and enormous patience!) the idea became a reality. The Thistle Dismissal project won at school and then went on to win several awards, including First Place Overall for Technology, at the Bay of Plenty Regional Science Fair in 2003.The National Agricultural Fieldays
The idea captured a lot of interest and positive comment. As with any new product it was difficult to know where to take it from there. We approached the Inventors Trust - www.inventors.co.nz - to have the idea evaluated by a panel of other inventors. This is a free service to Inventors partly funded by the Tindall Foundation. Along with invaluable advice, the recommendation was to take the idea to The National Agricultural Fieldays to get market reaction from the thousands of people who make a point of visiting the Innovation Centre. The feedback from this was overwhelmingly positive, with people even wanting to buy a GrubIt there and then. We were awarded an Achievement Award in the Under 21 category. Being in the public eye for four solid days was a huge experience (and hard work!), but the level of direct market research could not have been achieved anywhere else. The publicity we also received was quite overwhelming, with interviews for TV and several newspapers. Contact was made by a number of manufacturers and distributors. The ideas and experiences shared by other inventors on site were very useful.
Photo courtesy of Anne Calcinai
The Future
Since the 2004 Fieldays the GrubIt has undergone more trialling and some modifications in design. Continued support from a manufacturer means the GrubIt is now at prototype stage. The prototype GrubIt was presented at the 2005 National Agricultural Fieldays and again attracted a lot of interest from the public. The design modifications were well received and further trialling is continuing
We anticipate the GrubIt will be available for purchase by mail order from this website in time for Autumn 2006.
The Inventors
We are both students at Taupo-nui-a-Tia College in Taupo. Both of us enjoy a range of sports - running, soccer and rugby and cycling, Sebastian is also a Bay of Plenty age group Tennis Representative. We both come from a farming background and have had our own real experience of thistle grubbing
Working on the GrubIt has been an amazing learning experience - from watching laser cutters, plastic moulding, robots for welding, the Fieldays crowds and all the positive response, public speaking and TV interviews. Many times we have believed the GrubIt is ready to market and each time some small aspect needs modifying. When we began with our Science Fair we had no idea how involved it would become or how long it would take!
Thank you for showing an interest in the GrubIt.
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