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  • From: "Tradingpost" <tradingpost AT lobo.net>
  • To: market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Travellers vs. stationary guns
  • Date: Sun, 17 Dec 2006 12:35:58 -0700


And of course improving soil structure and texture, conservation tillage,
and mulching all cut moisture loss and nutrient leaching, resulting in less
need for irrigation. Planting through cover crops is one approach. And less
irrigation reduces salinization, which is virtually irreversible.

paul tradingpost AT lobo.net

*********** REPLY SEPARATOR ***********

On 12/17/2006 at 10:44 AM Paul Bucciaglia wrote:

>A vote here for travellers--I really like the labor savings over hand set
>systems like pipe/risers (which we still use for smaller plantings) or
>stationary guns, and have had good wetting results. I need to run my
>traveler overnight, and my pipes/risers in teh early mrning/late evenign
>or I do have wind losses and pattern disruption. We drip during the
>afternoon.
>
> Irrigation demands labor at a time when you have so little to spare, and
>it causes enormous losses in crop yield and quantity if you don't do it
>right. So I no longer look at it as a "how many hours in labor will this
>save X $12/hr. labor cost vs. what is the capital cost" analysis, like I
>do with many other equipment decisions. A well thought out irrigation
>system can pay for itself in a season or two, if it is a "rate limiting
>factor" or bottleneck in your farm system.
>
> Paul Bucciaglia







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