A pick-up assembly and a pick-up method are provided for picking-up loose material from the ground and including an overload protecting mechanism. A tine bar carrier assembly is rotated around a carrier rotating axis. At least one tine bar is mounted at the tine bar carrier assembly. The tine bar carries several pick-up tines and can be rotated with respect to the tine bar carrier assembly around a bar rotating axis. A tine bar lever connects the tine bar with a retaining mechanism. The retaining mechanism urges the tine bar into a standard rotational position with respect to the tine bar carrier assembly. A rigid object can rotate the tine bar against the force of the retaining mechanism.
