How Maintaining Constant Pressure on Your Pivot Can Save You 35 to 40 Percent in Pumping Costs | by Jonny Branom

Growers that use corner machines or have some elevation changes in their field know that there can be a big variance in pressure at the end of their pivot. In a typical corner machine, the difference in pressure can be as much as 35 to 40 PSI between when the corner is extended or retracted.

With a Valley Drive Connect^® and a Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) in your installation, you can maintain a constant pressure at the end of your pivot regardless of the elevation differences you may have, or the position of the corner machine if you use one.

Valley Drive Connect mounts on the end of your pivot and uses a pressure transmitter to measure pressure. The pressure feedback is then sent back to your VFD wirelessly, to adjust your pump speed to maintain constant pressure.

By only supplying your pivot the pressure it needs to operate correctly, you can save up to 40 percent in pumping costs, eliminate pressure spikes, prolong sprinkler regulator life and help prevent pipeline blow outs. Valley Drive Connect can also be used in conjunction with Valley Pump Connect^®. Now you can have pressure feedback from the end of your machine and on/off control from your pivot point, all wirelessly back to your VFD.

Valley Water Management and your local Valley dealer are committed to bringing you the very latest in money-saving pumping technologies. For more information, please contact your local Valley dealer.

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Jonny Branom Project Sales Manager – Valley Water Management Jonny joined Valley Water Management in 2013 as the Western project sales manager. He has more 15 years of experience in industrial automation, instrumentation, wireless controls and VFDs. Jonny has been working with Valley dealers for many years solving control and pumping needs. He lives with his wife, Tammy, and two children in Spokane, WA, and enjoys many outdoor activities around the Inland Northwest.

Valley Growers in the Farm Pubs | by Shannon Peterson

It seems like every time I pick up a farm publication lately, I find an article about one of our customers and his successful operation. There are great ideas and tips in these stories, so I thought I would share a few of the most recent features.


Using Tech to Maximize Inputs, Agriculture.com

There isn’t much waste on the 1,500 acres of corn, soybeans, and wheat that Joel Armistead produces with the help of his son, Zach, near Adairville, Kentucky. In fact, with the exception of 150 acres that host a 122-acre center pivot unit, Armistead typically harvests three crops in two years. On the other hand, Armistead isn’t afraid to make an investment when it has the potential to increase yields.

One example of that occurred in 2008, when Armistead installed a 1,200-foot center pivot on a bottomland field and started irrigating out of a creek that runs around part of the farm. It turned out to be one of the best investments he ever made. Read the full story ...  

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Tech Tools that Save Water, Agriculture.com

Until recently, Richard Wacker thought his 16-row strip-till machine was one of the best tools for reducing irrigation on his 4,000-acre, center-pivot irrigated farm near Yuma, Colorado.

After all, he eliminated the need for 1 to 1.5 inches of water almost immediately when he began strip-tilling nearly eight years ago.

…While strip-till and cover crops have done their share to conserve water, Wacker insists his best water-conservation tool these days is his iPad. Read the full story ...

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Water Management Tips for 2015, Nebraska Farmer Irrigation Extra 

Aaron Zimmerman

The severe drought of 2012 proved how crucial water quantity is to irrigators. So, innovative growers have adopted ways to maintain yields and save water at the same time. Aaron Zimmerman of Pierce, Neb., who farms sandier soils

with his brother Ryan, has been working over the past two years on strategies to save water, cut expenses and improve the bottom line. With commodity grain prices dipping far below 2013 levels, Aaron is trying to get the most yield pop per pivot drop. Read the full story ...


With a sidebar on AgSense^® technology, Monitor maker looks at the future of the technology

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Energy Trust Lends a Hand with Irrigation Efficiency, Capital Press – The West’s Ag Website

… Seus Family Farms owner Scott Seus, said he has installed in several on-farm VFD pumps on his wells in Oregon and California. “That’s where you save because you can fine tune the settings,” he said.

“Instead of the old way, which was just go turn on a switch and what you get is what you get, you can change the setpoint to how many gallons per minute you are pulling,” Seus said. “You only draw out of the ground what you are actually using.” Read the full story ...

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Have you read any great features on farmers lately? Or has a publication written about you? Share links to the stories in the comments section below.

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Shannon Peterson Marketing Content Editor Shannon joined Valley Irrigation in 2013. She writes and edits materials about irrigation equipment. Shannon enjoys traveling with her family, particularly to national parks, and she occasionally writes about her travels for tourism magazines. She also likes trying new restaurants, seeing movies, and watching Husker football and Creighton basketball.

Connecting Pressure, Flow and Your Overall Efficiency | by Nicole Alvarez

This piece was written for and published by Senninger Irrigation, and reprinted with permission.

Our team has traveled all over the USA and across the globe and noticed two strange things when it comes to pressure regulation: some growers will tell you that pressure regulation is the best way to save water and energy, while others will claim pressure regulation is nothing but a waste of time and money unless you have sloped fields.

We’ve been highlighting the importance of pressure regulation for years but regulation has never been as important as it is now with drought conditions in numerous areas and diminishing aquifer levels. That’s why we’ve created a quick pressure regulation FAQ list to help explain not just how a regulator works, but why they’re needed and how you can tell if yours is working.

How does a pressure regulator work? 

The basic function of a pressure regulator is to limit excessive and varying inlet pressures to a constant outlet pressure. This is done to maintain the desired performance of a sprinkling device.

Pressure regulators accomplish this by automatically modulating their area of opening. By changing the area of opening as upstream pressures fluctuate, pressure loss through the regulator changes proportionally. This allows them to maintain the downstream pressure at a relative constant.

Why do I need pressure regulators?

No matter what type of irrigation machine you have, correct pressure is essential for optimum distribution uniformity and proper flow through emitters. Crops need the right amount of water at the right time and pressure regulators ensure this need is met.

Sprinklers are made to operate within a specific range of flows and pressures. They’ll maintain their application pattern and adequate droplet size as long as they can operate under normal conditions. If these conditions are altered, their application pattern will be affected and you could easily run into uniformity issues, over or under watering, and irregular crop growth.

What causes pressure deviations?

Every irrigation machine will experience some sort of pressure fluctuation. The most common reasons for pressure fluctuations include:

• Elevation changes in a field 
• Pressure loss through pipe fittings 
• End guns cycling on and off 
• Cycling of various irrigation zones and valves 

Do I need a pressure regulator with flat land?

Yes! Your system pressure can change due to the various causes listed above and more. Elevation is just one of the many things that cause pressure fluctuations.

No matter what degree of elevation you have, controlling flow and pressure is essential for machines operating at lower pressures. For example, if a system operating at 30 psi (2.07 bar) experiences a 10 percent flow variation, that will result in a 6 PSI (0.41 bar) pressure variation. That flow variation can adversely impact sprinkler performance and ultimately yields.

How does pressure affect my flow rate?

The operating pressure of an irrigation machine always affects the flow rate. Higher pressures increase flow along any pipe. As that flow increases, water velocity increases as well. This results in pressure decreasing downstream due to friction loss. When water is rushing through a pipe at high velocities, the interior walls of the pipe create friction against it, which causes pressure loss.

How long does a pressure regulator last?

Senninger pressure regulators are built using high-impact engineering grade thermoplastics and are 100 percent water-tested at our facilities. However, like sprinklers, they do not last forever. Irrigators are encouraged to check their pressure regulators at least every three years. Factors that can shorten a pressure regulator’s lifespan include:

• Unflushed chemicals in the pipeline 
• Suspended abrasive materials in the water 
• Long operating hours 

How can I tell if a pressure regulator is bad?

Issues such as dry spots near the head, overwatering in a doughnut shaped pattern, uneven crop growth and streaking in the field and misting are all common signs of pressure regulator malfunctions. Using yield maps and even aerial imaging may prove helpful in identifying issues.

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Senninger® Irrigation A Valley® Irrigation Authorized Provider Founded in 1963, Senninger Irrigation, Inc. is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of agricultural irrigation products. These include sprinklers, spray nozzles and pressure regulators. Senninger products are made in the United States and sold worldwide through qualified dealers. Products can be found in farms, nurseries, greenhouses, open fields, as well as mining operations. Senninger is dedicated to low pressure, high performance irrigation solutions.  This post was written by Nicole Alvarez, the technical writer for Senninger.

Try Our New BaseStation3 Mobile App Demo | by John Campbell

 "See?" Try to count how many times you say that in one day and you'll probably lose track before dinner. Our lives revolve around what we can see. So even though I have been telling everyone how great the mobile app for Valley_® BaseStation3™ is, you really need to see it to believe it. 

Now that’s possible even if you don't own BaseStation3 yet. We added a "Demo" mode that enables anyone to experience the bright, clean layout, the intuitive design and the powerful control our app offers.

Search the correct App store for phone apps (or use these links: iOS or Android) for "Basestation3", download the App and at the bottom of the main screen you'll see the "Demo" button. Selecting that will take you into an interactive simulation of a BaseStation3-connected farm with several pieces of equipment; two Pro2 panels, one Select2 panel and one AuxLink.

With the Demo, you can see the pivot move at an accelerated rate, execute commands, change end gun angles, and try out the Step Program Editor and the Notes feature.

And, even though the App is for phone devices, it was carefully designed so it looks great on a tablet also.

Try the app out and see what all the fuss is about. Then give your Valley dealer a call so he can request a quote to install BaseStation3 at your farm.

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John Campbell Advanced Technology Product Manager John Campbell coordinates all of the Valley remote control and monitoring technology products, including BaseStation3. John lives in north Omaha, where he pursues his many hobbies, including classic cars and running.

Irrigation Exchange – Connecting BaseStation3 to the Rest of Precision Agriculture | by Andy Smith

Precision agriculture has become a common term throughout farming. Machine guidance, variable rate technology, imagery, mapping and the list goes on. As part of a recent presentation, I spent some time questioning just exactly what precision ag really is. The best definition I was able to glean is as follows:

• A management system that is information and technology based, is site specific, and uses one or more of the following sources of data: soils, crops, nutrients, pests, moisture or yield, for optimum profitability, sustainability and protection of the environment (adapted from Precision Ag. 2003).

The next step for me was to look for a definition of precision irrigation and I really did not find any consensus on the term. So I posed the following characteristics which I believe help define precision irrigation:

• An irrigation system that is the extension of precision ag into irrigation. It is information and technology based; spatially and temporally specific; integrates soil, crop, nutrient, pest, applied irrigation, rainfall/moisture, historical yield, yield targets, input costs, regulatory limitations and other factors, and seeks a balanced outcome for optimum profitability, sustainability and protection of the environment while providing measurable feedback.

Valley_® Irrigation has been a pioneer and leader in the principles of precision irrigation. With Irrigation Exchange™, Valley is taking another pioneering step by creating a way to connect its proven telemetry system, BaseStation3™, to other software systems being used by farmers to manage crop inputs, machinery, daily operations and the multitude of other critical farm operations. 

Working with other leading agricultural technology providers, Irrigation Exchange makes it possible for farmers to bring all of their information together and take a comprehensive approach to irrigation, in concert with the principles of precision ag.

At Valley, we recognize that irrigation is one of several critical inputs having influence over successful cropping strategies. We also know that agronomy theory must be executed with an understanding of practical limitations.

Farmers have to make choices continuously and with every choice, there is risk. We know that intuition, art and luck are alive and well on the farm and have as much or more influence than science at times. The bottom line, Valley wants to empower farmers to make the best choices possible and Irrigation Exchange is another way we are demonstrating leadership in precision irrigation.

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Andrew Smith Director of Technology Adoption Andy has spent more than 27 years involved in the irrigation industry as a farmer, contractor, designer, salesman, and trade representative. At Valley, he manages strategic relationships for mechanized irrigation technology across a broad range of applications. Andy lives in northern Michigan with his wife, Kim, and his daughter, Madison, and enjoys a variety of outdoor activities.

Big Week of Farm Shows | by Shannon Peterson

This is a huge week in agriculture, and not because it’s Valentine’s Day week. Growers and ag business reps are heading to two giant farm shows – National Farm Machinery Show and World Ag Expo.

The largest indoor show in America, National Farm Machinery Show is celebrating its 50th anniversary in Louisville, Ky., Feb. 11-14. It features more than 850 exhibitors, including Valley_® Irrigation, and attracts 300,000 attendees from around the world. 

If you’re attending NFMS, download the mobile app to help you navigate the exhibit hall and show activities. 

And, be sure to stop by the Valley booth, No. 82-83, to learn more about BaseStation3™ and the launch of Valley Irrigation Exchange™, our exclusive data-sharing technology. Irrigation Exchange shares irrigation data over the Internet and integrates it with other precision ag data, so growers can make informed, data-driven decisions on water application, nutrient management and other critical farm operations. 

Irrigation Exchange does much, much more. Check back Thursday to read a blog post introducing this innovative technology.

Heading west instead? World Ag Expo in Tulare, Calif., Feb. 10-12, is the world’s largest annual agricultural exposition. More than 1,400 exhibitors are on hand sharing the latest farm equipment and technology. 

Valley will be at WAE too in booth No. NS 20-24. Stop by to learn more about our products, including center pivots and linears, Variable Rate Irrigation (VRI), pumping solutions and innovative technology.

There’s a mobile app for this show too, or take a look around with the live feed cameras. 

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Shannon Peterson Marketing Content Editor Shannon joined Valley Irrigation in 2013. She writes and edits materials about irrigation equipment. Shannon enjoys traveling with her family, particularly to national parks, and she occasionally writes about her travels for tourism magazines. She also likes trying new restaurants, seeing movies, and watching Husker football and Creighton basketball.

27 Important Lessons from an Old Farmer

By Farms.com and OnFarm Foundation. Reprinted with permission from FarmOn Foudnation - A Community of Social Learning.

The best advice always comes from those people with experience. So, when we came across this list on Farms.com we knew we had to share it with you. We hope you enjoy, and feel free to let us know of any more pieces of advice that didn't make it on the list by commenting below. 

An Old Farmer's Advice:

1. Your fences need to be horse-high, pig-tight and bull-strong.

2. Keep skunks and bankers at a distance.

3. Life is simpler when you plow around the stump.

4. A bumble bee is considerably faster than a John Deere tractor.

5. Words that soak into your ears are whispered...not yelled.

6. Meanness don't jes' happen overnight.

7. Forgive your enemies. It messes up their heads.

8. Do not corner something that you know is meaner than you.

9. It don't take a very big person to carry a grudge.

10. You cannot unsay a cruel word.

11. Every path has a few puddles.

12. When you wallow with pigs, expect to get dirty.

13. The best sermons are lived, not preached.

14. Most of the stuff people worry about ain't never gonna happen anyway.

15. Don't judge folks by their relatives.

16. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.

17. Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll enjoy it a second time.

18. Don't interfere with somethin' that ain't botherin' you none.

19. Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a rain dance.

20. If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop diggin'.

21. Sometimes you get, and sometimes you get got.

22. The biggest troublemaker you'll probably ever have to deal with, watches you from the mirror every mornin'.

23. Always drink upstream from the herd.

24. Good judgment comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgment.

25. Lettin' the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier than puttin' it back in.

26. If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin' somebody else's dog around.

27. Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. 

Have any other advice? Share it with us in the comments below.

Winter Irrigation Maintenance

This piece was written by Calvin Perry, superintendent of the University of Georgia Stripling Irrigation Research Park, and published in the SIRP newsletter.

With our crops harvested and out of the way, now is a good time to look at maintenance of our center pivot irrigation machines. Here is a checklist of items to consider: 

• Perform a “catch-can” uniformity test to verify the system is applying water uniformly. 


• Check for leaks, malfunctioning or missing sprinklers, etc. Repair problems. 


• Drain pipes, valves, tanks, pumps, sprinklers, booster pumps, etc. 


• Close or cover openings, even with motors and pumps, that would allow mice to enter. 


• Service gear boxes, drive lines, motors on pivot towers, as well as the engine that may be driving your pump. 


• Lock the control box in the OFF position. 


• Repair deeply rutted pivot wheel tracks. 


• Consider a new sprinkler package that could replace what's on your system now, if it's not performing well. There are many new, innovative sprinkler designs on the market. 


• Make sure the flow meter on your withdrawal point (usually at your pump) is functioning properly and look at your flow meter readings and see if your pump is putting out the flow that it's designed for. 


• And it's also a good time to think about next year. You're not quite as busy this time of year, so give some thought to, 'Do I want to look at a different irrigation sprinkler package? Do I want to look at some new technologies to help with irrigation scheduling? Or look at some sensors and maybe software that could help with that technology?'

For more great irrigation information, visit the Stripling Park website and follow SIRP on Twitter (@StriplingPark).