Total Control!
How many pivots does it take before Telemetry is a Game Changer?
There is no exact number for any farm but consider a few questions:
How pinched is your time during watering season?
How far away are your irrigated fields?
What is your crop mix, and their respective water demands?
Do you need to ration water between pivots?
Once you get beyond three or four proximal systems it’s time to consider the value of saving time and miles. Running more than ten pivots you would surely gain some significant benefits. The greater the land base you are spread over, variations in weather can create different watering needs that are easy to respond to with remote controls. The basic monitoring and on and off commands with and end of machine field commander have been continually upgraded and are now complemented by many more features. Respond when you need to from where you are with AgSense Telemetry.
Weather stations and soil moisture probes can be incorporated into your systems along with variable rate irrigation programs as well as operating your other pivot brands with the same AgSense equipment. All ICON panels work at the panel, reducing wear and tear from bouncing across the field with every pass. Electric valves can remotely switch water access to machines running off a common water supply. You can add theft monitoring and even monitor your grain system with the same programs. With nearly 50 remote control features, no other system on the market is comparable. This technology can help you manage for more yield and reduce plant stress with more timely adjustments. It can also make irrigation reporting easier.
Whether you have the next generation returning to your operation and are considering taking on more ground and pivots or scaling back and renting some acres to a neighboring farm, AgSense telemetry from Michigan Valley Irrigation can be a valuable tool for your farm.
Don’t think all we do is corn, beans, and potatoes. We have developed, installed and serviced many projects from fruit, vegetables and sod to dairy, hog, wastewater and food processing facilities.
call our McBride office
(989-762-5028) and
we will come to you!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Pete is the marketing manager for Michigan Valley Irrigation, having joined the company in 2016. He was raised on a dairy farm in western New York and graduated from Cornell University with a B.S. in agricultural economics. His entire working career of over 37 years has been involved in agriculture. A farmer helping farmers. When away from Michigan Valley he operates, Joyful Noise Farm, a small livestock and produce farm and spends time with his family.
