Families who have worked their land for decades usually have two things in common: a deep appreciation for their heritage – and the knowledge that the best way to honor it is to always move with the times. The DeGroot family has managed to do this for five generations to date. Established in 1976 as a U-Pick venture, the 5000-acre farm now counts as one of America’s leading vegetable wholesalers, growing crops like potatoes, carrots, squash and hot peppers, as well as corn, beans and wheat.
Accepting the challenge. Chase Parr, one of our irrigation experts in the U.S., drove out to St. Anne, Illinois, to meet with Andrew DeGroot, who was keen to tackle a range of problems with his existing sprinkler packages. Andrew currently uses around 50 center pivots to irrigate his potato, corn, soy bean and pepper crops. “Most of the farm’s pivot systems were equipped with flat plate sprays without pressure regulators,” Chase explains. “One of the main challenges was lots of wind drift, as well as over and under-application on the hills and valleys.” Another issue was that the unregulated rotators were washing out the potato hills, as the water was distributed too inconsistently and at times with too much force.
Assessing the land. As always, the on-site consultation started with a look at the crop type, environmental conditions and terrain. This also includes the soil structure and water quality – two key factors when it comes to finding the perfect sprinkler package configuration. In this case, the process was fairly straightforward: the soil on DeGroots Farms is sandy loam, while the water is of high quality with only a moderate presence of iron. Even in far more complex scenarios, our irrigation technicians always find a solution. This is partly due to the high-grade designs of our innovative irrigation products, which are as resilient as they come. The Komet Precision Twister (KPT) line-up, for example, is field-proven to excel under the harshest conditions, including water that is ferrous, hard or contains fine grit.
The weather patterns on DeGroots Farms follow the classic Midwestern climate, with hot, humid summers and prevalent winds. In this scenario, too, the KPT sprinkler models outperform their competitors: thanks to their precisely controlled, consistent droplet size across the entire irrigation pattern, losses through wind drift, misting and evaporation are kept to an absolute minimum.
Defining the goal. Efficiency was a key priority for Andrew DeGroot – or, as he put it, the ability to do more with less. “Andrew was keen to utilize all resources in the smartest way possible,” Chase recalls. “He specifically wanted to reduce the run-times of his pivot systems by making the most of every applied gpm. Also, he was looking to conserve energy by irrigating with lower operating pressures.” To meet all of these objectives, Andrew needed efficient sprinklers that would get the water to the crop with maximum uniformity and limited impact on the soil.
Finding the solution. With his new Komet sprinkler packages, Andrew has achieved all of these goals. Most of the farm’s pivots are now equipped with KPT Peak top-of-pipe sprinklers combined with 10psi KPR-X pressure regulators. A new, 7-tower center pivot is also due to go up; this will feature drop-mounted KPTs with black deflectors (standard trajectory angle). On the outer spans, Twin 101 Ultra high-volume guns ensure optimal end-of-system irrigation to utilize every inch of fertile soil. Like all Komet sprinklers, our Twin Ultra series delivers a consistent droplet size, producing an irrigation pattern that closely resembles natural rain. As a result, these “gentle giants” – whose operating pressure starts at just 30 PSI (2 bar) – can be adjusted to irrigate even the most delicate crops without damaging the plants or disturbing the soil. ”
Enjoying the results. Pleased with his new Komet set-up, Andrew reports a superior irrigation pattern and improved wind-fighting abilities compared to his previous brand. He also notes that there is no more washing out of the hills, as the water now reaches the soil with maximum uniformity. And on top of that, he now achieves thriving yields with lower operating pressures and flow rates of just 300-700 gpm. Andrew DeGroot is a farmer with a vision, who has already embraced wireless irrigation management for around half of his land. With this switch to state-of-the-art Komet sprinklers, he is sure to take his forefathers’ legacy into a bright future.
If you’d like to find out more about the benefits of our irrigation products, feel free to get in touch – we’re always here to answer any questions! Are you looking for your nearest Komet irrigation expert? Find our global team of Technical Sales Managers here. We also offer free, brand-independent irrigation training: our Komet Academy sessions give you valuable insights into anything from pivot maintenance and dry wheel track solutions, to tailoring your sprinkler package to your soil type, crop and terrain. Simply register here!
