The GAR Bennett automation and water services teams met with the growers to conduct a site survey. The 90-day crop will be planted in four sets and will need to be monitored daily to check the growing progress. Our teams assessed the growers’ needs and after conversing about options for the project, were given the green light to move forward.
The automation team got to work on phase one of the project. Our experts automated the pump on/off control, as well as pressure and flow at the filter station. Four valve controls were installed in the field for the four different sets. Soil probes were installed as well, one at each set to track the water usage. Lastly, the team installed a weather station to ensure that the top surface of the young hemp plants doesn’t get too warm and cause leaf burning. The growers’ farm employees were then trained by our automation experts to ensure they knew how to properly run the system.
To also aid with the hot temperatures, our water services team installed sprinklers to run irrigation sets during the day, keeping the topsoil cooler. The sprinklers are connected straight from the well to the bypass and a gasoline trash pump was installed to boost water in directly, creating a higher pressure and flow. Subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) was also installed in the field and automated to run at night.
The first set of this crop has been planted and the grower along with our teams are scheduling the next three planting dates. Currently, the automation team is monitoring the plants daily and checking flow, pressure and temperatures. As the root zone expands and the crop matures, our team will begin checking the soil probes. The water services team is running irrigations during the day and aiding the growers with their farming needs.
With hemp farming, it’s important to protect your investment and plan ahead. GAR Bennett has experts ready to help start your farming operation on the right foot regardless of the crop. Our goal is to not only help growers feed the world, but also maximize crop yields using less water. Call us today to help you farm more efficiently!
