Farm to table is alive and well in Michigan. Direct marketing to consumers has potential to keep a greater percentage of the retail dollar. Like many ventures undertaken, marketing efforts and new and different production tasks are not always easy, but it can increase revenues from your operation. Grass is one of the thirstier crops grown in Michigan, so adequate water is important to keep quality and yield at optimum levels for proper growing or finishing of cattle…
Merriam- Webster defines telemetry as the science or process of telemetering data. So, what is telemetering? Telemetering is an electrical apparatus for measuring quantity (such as pressure, speed, or temperature) and transmitting the result especially by radio to a distant location. Gadgets that transmit data that allow us to monitor or control equipment from a distance…
“The sprinkler package on your center pivot is the most important component of the system” says Josh Wolter, CID (Certified Irrigation Designer) at Michigan Valley Irrigation. It determines the efficiency and gallons per minute per acre applied to the field. It also determines droplet size and pattern that can be key to uniformity, wind drift and soil compaction. Because of its location at the end of the system, acting as the emitter, the tips are subject to wear, even though they may appear to be functioning properly. There are many reasons to pay attention to this critical component, and the cost is very minor compared to the rest of your system…
Let’s look at a little history. Going back about a hundred years, farms in this country were diversified with livestock, crops, and probably some fruit and vegetables, or at least a big garden. Most crops were grown to feed their livestock. Perhaps there were a few extra acres to sell for cash to purchase inputs for the next year’s crops. A little bit of everything so the family had a nice variety of food for consumption and the crops were rotated, the manure was fertilizer, and cover crops were used to prevent erosion and provide some pasture or feed for the livestock…
Michigan Valley Irrigation has been leading the way in developing irrigated acres in Michigan for over three decades. Yet it feels like we have only scratched the surface. With developing technologies and an ever-growing demand for more food from fewer acres, we must continue to evolve and adapt to serve the needs of our customers and their markets…
Markets across many agricultural products have been challenging over the past few years. Have you been too busy farming to take the time to manage? In my 38 years being involved in the business of agriculture, from several vantage points, I have noticed that brainpower beats horsepower nearly every time. Often, we are so busy working in our business, we never find time to work on our business.
Organic crop production has seen significant growth in Michigan in recent years. This appears to be driven by consumer demand for both direct consumption of organic crops as well as livestock that consume organic feed. This trend has encouraged many growers to evaluate both what the consumer elects to purchase and the impact that farming practices have on our soil and water resources.
Most any successful business that operates in a capitalist economy, searches for ways to increase efficiency and improve their bottom line. I like to think of an injection pump as a way to increase the value of a center pivot. If you are applying fertilizer, herbicides, insecticides, fungicides or any of the above, you may be able to utilize your center pivot as an applicator.
