Irrigation

Irrigation has enhanced corn production significantly in the U.S. over the past several years. However, concerns have increased about the sustainability of irrigated corn acres during a time of declining surface and groundwater supplies as well as increased pump costs.

In semi-arid environments such as Utah, water is one of the most limiting factors to crop production and the single-most important factor influencing plant growth and crop yields.

In 2003, Terry and Linda Ketterling started TLK Farms, Inc. and TLK Dairy, Inc. along with their son Tony Ketterling and daughter Launa Fowler.

As Terry put it, “I bought a dairy to learn about dairy.”

Before you forget about irrigation for this year, consider the following management practices to prepare for next season.

It is the time of the year to winterize. Often next year’s irrigation start-up problems are winter damage that can be prevented.

People are arriving home from work in the late afternoon, turning on their washers, dryers and ovens. Demand for power is peaking, so a utility puts in a call to a big farm: “Can you postpone irrigating your hay for a couple of hours?”