Making the most of irrigation equipment and supplies should be a high priority for you, so you can get the most money back from this expensive investment. Whether you bought your crop irrigation system new and paid retail for it or you were able to put together a system using wholesale irrigation supplies, you still want the irrigation systems equipment to pay for itself in as short a time as possible.

You also want your agricultural irrigation equipment to efficiently provide water to your crops. Since different crops require different styles of watering, as well as differing amounts of water, you need to understand the farm sprinklers you chose for your farm. Making the most of irrigation equipment and supplies revolves around certain tasks that you need to do on a regular basis. These jobs include:

1. Scheduling crop watering for the optimal time of day to do the most good.

2. Setting your farm sprinklers to get the most efficient water usage.

3. Checking your crop irrigation system on a regular basis to make sure it is operating properly.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Make sure you use the right connections on your agricultural irrigation equipment

Regardless of the type of system you use, the connectors need to be secure and not leaking. Configure your irrigation systems equipment so you get the most effective watering pattern in each field.

I recommend: Read this article on the history of drip irrigation from Irrigation Direct to better understand what agricultural irrigation supplies you need to use for a drip system. More information about the low-flow drip irrigation method is available from Roberts Irrigation. It also offers irrigation equipment and supplies, as well as advice for other methods of irrigation.

Keep agricultural irrigation equipment filters clean

Any time a filter clogs up, that section of the field doesn't receive adequate water and the irrigation system becomes less effective. Routinely check filters and tips.

I recommend: IrrigationTutorials.com can give you information about the best filters to use to keep your agricultural irrigation equipment flowing properly. Automatic Filters, irrigation equipment manufacturers of filters, offer a number of filters for the different types of agricultural irrigation equipment.

Know what patterns of water flow work best with your farm sprinklers

The topography of your land and the type of soil can affect your ag irrigation equipment. If you adjust the water flow to allow for these differences, you'll find your irrigation system is more efficient.

I recommend: The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences extension service has information on how to control the rate of water flow for farm sprinklers. The amount of water used can definitely affect the cost of operating your ag irrigation equipment. Oregon State University has similar information but with a twist. The diagrams on its website indicate how simply changing the level of the pipe you use to disburse the water can affect the amount of water needed to operate crop irrigation equipment.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Handle your agricultural irrigation equipment carefully if you move it from one location to another. As you reset the farm sprinklers in their new location, make sure they continue to run at the optimal water level.

Irrigation equipment and supplies can help you keep your farm profitable in times of dry weather. Even though the agriculture sector of the economy accounts for 80 to 90% of the water consumption in the United States, sometimes there is still not enough rainwater to produce viable crops. That’s where ag irrigation equipment can make the difference between a profit or loss.

Given the wide variety of farm sprinklers available, it’s a matter of finding the right agricultural irrigation supplies and equipment at a price you can afford. It’s best to research the type of crop irrigation equipment best suited for your land and crops because not all irrigation systems equipment works for all land. If you can purchase wholesale irrigation supplies, you can save even more money.

As you shop for agricultural irrigation equipment, look for irrigation equipment suppliers who:

1. Are knowledgeable about the soil and environmental conditions where you live.

2. Work with several irrigation equipment manufacturers to give you the widest selection of irrigation equipment for sale possible.

3. Keep a supply of agricultural irrigation equipment and supplies on hand so parts are readily available when you need them.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Include pumps in your crop irrigation system

If you have to move water from one irrigation slough to another, you need reliable pumps. The same is true for gravity-flow irrigation systems equipment.

I recommend: Mid-Atlantic Irrigation offers a large selection of irrigation pumps. Rainbow Irrigation Systems also offers pumping equipment.

Move all your irrigation equipment and supplies with the proper equipment

If you have a portable irrigation system, you need hoses, pipe, reels and trailers to haul all the irrigation equipment to the field. Choose products that make the task as easy as possible.

I recommend: Lake Company offers pipe and hoses to their customers. You can choose from a wide variety of diameters and materials. Kifco offers carts to make it easier to set up your portable crop irrigation system.

Pick the right farm sprinklers

Each sprinkler head on the irrigation system can be set to deliver the maximum amount of water in the least amount of time. The right farm sprinklers can save you a lot of money, especially if you have to buy water to irrigate.

I recommend: Rain Bird Corporation and Senninger Irrigation, Inc. both offer a large selection of farm sprinkler heads.

Consider installing permanent agricultural irrigation equipment

It will be there from year to year, and you don't have to worry about moving it. The main upkeep is maintaining the farm sprinklers.

I recommend: Roberts Irrigation can help you install complete systems on your property. Contact Nelson Irrigation Corporation for price quotes.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Choose farm sprinklers that give you many options for spray patterns. These sprinklers should also be easy to change for the amount of water. Most farm sprinklers use an adjustable plastic disk. Look for farm sprinklers that come with several different sizes and shapes of disks.

If you live in a part of the world where agricultural irrigation equipment is a regular part of the landscape, you may want to consider a career in irrigation equipment and supplies. Not only does this job require knowledge of farm sprinklers to irrigate crops, but with the proper training you can also find jobs selling agricultural irrigation supplies to local farm stores.

While sales of agriculture irrigation supplies is one option you may pursue from your studies, there are other job opportunities as well. Most courses in irrigation equipment and supplies focus on three areas of concentration. They include:

1. Installation of farm sprinklers.

2. Efficient operation and usage of irrigation equipment and supplies.

3. Specialization in landscape and gardening irrigation.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Take formal classes to learn how to use irrigation equipment and supplies

Many colleges in the western states, where irrigation is common, offer two- and four-year courses of study in irrigation technology. Scholarships are available to help you get your training in ag irrigation equipment. Many irrigation equipment manufacturers and irrigation equipment suppliers offer scholarships through community colleges and four-year colleges that offer crop irrigation system training.

I recommend: California State University at Chico offers hands-on irrigation equipment and supplies education and training. With that training, you can easily get a job working in the fields or use your knowledge to purchase wholesale irrigation supplies for resale within the agriculture community. Amarillo College in Texas is another option for formal irrigation equipment and supplies education and training. The Irrigation Association Education Foundation is a good reference to help you find financing.

Receive irrigation equipment and supplies education and training from other sources

Because this is a growing industry, there are many opportunities available to receive training. Not all training has to come from a classroom. Professional organizations and irrigation suppliers are good sources for training opportunities.

I recommend: Fisher Irrigation Consultants offers irrigation equipment and supplies education and training. You can choose between a variety of classes to prepare you to use irrigation systems equipment in a variety of settings. The Irrigation Association offers classes that lead to certification in irrigation equipment and supplies usage.

Learn how to use farm sprinklers on your own

With access to the Internet, you can teach yourself about many of the core competencies of crop irrigation equipment usage. This basic knowledge can help you get an entry-level job as an irrigation equipment and supplies technician.

I recommend: You can read about the intricacies of setting up farm sprinklers from the manual available at Compliance Online. Clemson University’s Home & Garden Information Center can give you the basics on the different types of heads used in stationary agricultural irrigation equipment.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  No matter how you receive your irrigation equipment and supplies education and training, you must find ways to stay current with your education.

Knowledge of irrigation equipment and supplies key terms can help you find the right equipment for your farm. There are a number of irrigation systems available. You need to take into account the types of crops you plan to raise, the size and shape of the fields and the amount of water available for irrigation purposes. Each of these variables can factor into the type of irrigation equipment you should purchase.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Wheel line

A wheel line irrigation system waters the field in a straight line with a series of sprinklers on wheels. When one area of the field has enough water, a gasoline-powered mover unit relocates the wheel line to the next area of the field that needs irrigation. Wheel line irrigation covers all areas of a rectangular field.

I recommend: Wade Rain offers a detailed explanation of wheel line operation.

Center pivot

A center pivot irrigation system starts with a tower in the center of the field. From this tower, one long irrigation arm, or boom, extends. The boom, traveling with the support of wheels, covers the field in a 360-degree sweep. Center pivot irrigation does not reach the outer corners.

I recommend: See the pictures of center pivot irrigation systems from the Lindsay Corporation.

Traveling gun

A traveling gun, or traveling big gun, irrigation system is capable of spraying water on tall crops, such as corn. It's easily portable from one spot to another. One large nozzle shoots water over the crops in a specified pattern.

I recommend: Read the benefits of traveling big gun irrigation at Roberts Irrigation.

Drip irrigation

Drip irrigation puts the water at the base of the plant by supplying a regulated flow or drip. It's ideal for areas of extreme dryness where water is a valuable commodity. There is very little waste due to evaporation with a drip irrigation system.

I recommend: The Alliance for Water Efficiency provides information about drip irrigation.

Nozzle

The nozzle is the end of the irrigation system where the water comes out. Nozzles limit the amount of water sprayed on the field and can help define the spray pattern.

I recommend: See the nozzles from Atomizing System.

Spray patterns

The spray pattern refers to the amount of land covered by the irrigation equipment in one pass. You need to know which spray pattern works best for your field in order to get the right equipment. Knowledge of spray patterns can help you efficiently water your crops or pasture.

I recommend: The National Ag Safety Database explains spray patterns in detail.