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market-farming - Re: market-farming digest: January 14, 2001

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  • From: marc AT aculink.net
  • To: market farming <market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Re: market-farming digest: January 14, 2001
  • Date: Sun, 14 Jan 2001 23:13:01 -0700


Some big things I run into with my customers:

First thing is check and see if you can take the water.
Water rights can be a booger. Take someone's water and you
can be talking to the Sheriff. Maybe someone won't care in a
wet year but a drought year will get a lot of eagle eyes
out. If you intend to water 70 acres that's a lot of water
and pump.

If OK check and see if it's legal to put a pumping system in
the stream. Rights to water do not mean a right to access
the stream.

Is the stream a free for all or are there various water
rights where some are senior to others? There is a decision
tree to use here if the water is already divided up.

Is the stream polluted? Pesticides and fertilizer from ag
runoff, industrial waste.

What is the water like. Is it heavily mineraled? Sodium?
Sulfates? Hardness? etc.

Does the stream ever dry up? Seems they tend to go away in
drought years.

What is the minimum to maximum rise in land away from the
river where your pumping system will have to lift the water?
Do you have a topographical map or can you figure it out
using survey tools? Lifting water to higher elevations costs
energy money and pump horsepower. Topo knowledge and a good
plan can save thousands on 70 acres.

What do you intend to grow? Not all crops use the same
amount of water.

How often will you need to water them? A smaller pump can be
used if run constantly and it's output managed around the
fields. Larger pumps - especially turbines - can exhibit
much higher efficiencies than centrifugals. Have you
reseached the various techniques used for irrigation? What
do you envision - flood high or low pressure spinklers,
tape, ...?

NOTE: Always check the pump sellers claims as to efficiency.
There are mainstream pump installers and drillers that claim
to be selling pumps in the 90 percent efficiency range when
in fact they are in to 70 percent range. It's your electric
bill and it can run into the thousands per year easily. A
honest pump seller can easily show you and can calculate
your costs.

PVC piping will deteriorate over the years and have to be
replaced. Aluminum lasts longer but can have corrosion
problems (see water condition above) Buried plastic can last
for many decades but too shallow a bury and improper burying
techniques can allow it to squash flat if its thin walled
stuff. Tree roots raise cain with buried pipes. Make sure
you get locates so there are no hidden gas, power or
telephone lines you'll get sued for hitting. Usually free.

If you will have mixed crops do their water needs differ a
great deal? What is your rotation plan?

Where is your nearest source of power? Do you intend to use
your own power?

Can you put the crops that need the most water nearest the
source of water to minimize pumping and pipe size costs?

How much water will you need to water them?

How much time are you willing to budget to irrigate? How is
your personal physical condition? Do you intend to use help?

Marc

> Subject: Re: Irrigation/Pumping Systems
> From: Earthfarm1 AT aol.com
> Date: Sun, 14 Jan 2001 12:06:23 EST
> X-Message-Number: 2
>
> Hi,
>
> Obviously water is such an important factor in growing good crops. So
> providing same is a key issue for me.
>
> I have about 70 acres of good bottom land that is near a good year round
> creek that doesn't have much fall along my boundary.
>
> I'd like to be able to pump water from it for livestock, pasture, and crops
> as needed.
>
> So I'm trying to find simple cost effective solutions. I was considering a
> portable pump and some sort of gravity fed storage system.
> Have also considered RAM pumps that I've seen Amish use on some really small
> streams with not much fall.
>
> Problem is I don't know much about pumps, sizing, water delivery distances,
> etc. I'd like to be able to move water around in pastures. And in times of
> drought find a good way to irrigate pastures for good growth without
> spending
> big bucks.
>
> I sure could use some good advice and details :) Thanks. Frank



  • Re: market-farming digest: January 14, 2001, marc, 01/15/2001

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