Irrigation Farm Walk
Irrigation Farm Walk
A farm walk for growers to hear about the latest in irrigation at Greater Sydney Local Land Services’ demonstration farm, River Farm
Showing the Difference -
LLCI034-010
The issue
There is complexity involved in choosing an irrigation system and it is a challenge for growers to gather the information they need to make ecologically sound, water-efficient and financially economical decisions. Growers rely on sales representatives for information and guidance. Our local growers had an opportunity to see the newly-established irrigation system at Local Land Services’ “River Farm” and to hear from independent experts.
The solution
Central Coast Farmers hired a bus to transport local growers to River Farm and engaged presenters from Local Land Services, Peter Conasch and Matthew Plunkett, along with industry representatives, to address the group. Peter Conasch has more than 20 years' experience working in the irrigation industry. He has developed numerous best practice demonstration sites for water-use efficiency in field and greenhouse horticulture.
Topics included:
- Choosing a suitable irrigation system with consideration to soil test results, rainfall events, etc.
- Irrigation design and why it's important: pumps, filters, mains, and fertigation systems
- Water application for crop water requirements: how much to apply and when, sprinkler types, soil moisture sensors, watering times
- New products and services including remote control monitoring using cloud based systems
The impact
The farm walk was attended by 10 growers who participated enthusiastically in viewing the innovations at Riverfarm. Three industry representatives were present and along with the expertise from Local Land Services, growers had a great opportunity to increase their knowledge of efficient irrigation systems.
The feedback on the farm walk was very good with 80% of participants very satisfied with the training and the information received.
Key facts
- The farm walk was attended by 10 commercial growers.
- 80% of participants were very satisfied with the information received.