Spencer Black is a fifth-generation farmer who has previously worked in the irrigation industry – which gives him a unique vantage point when it comes to irrigating the cereal grain fields, alfalfa crops and cattle pastures on his family ranch in Idaho, USA. His greatest challenge: the region’s dwindling water supply. “Early in the year, we tend to have a good run, but as the year progresses, our water really tapers off,” he shares in our recent interview.
This leads to another major problem: sudden pressure fluctuations in his center pivots, which are the farm’s primary source of irrigation. “If the pond goes dry, or someone else has taken the water, we see that drop in pressure.” It’s a scenario in which many sprinklers start to struggle with their output – a scary thought when livelihoods built over generations are at stake.
“THEY JUST WORK.” (Spencer Black about his newly installed Komet Precision Twisters)
Luckily, Spencer decided to reach out to Komet in search of a feasible solution. “The service has been rock-solid,” he is pleased to report. During a side-by-side demonstration, Spencer could see for himself just how little effort it takes to move the plate inside the KPT. What this means in practice is that, if the pressure does go low, “that plate is still doing its job, spreading out the water.”
Having installed the KPTs across the farm’s center pivots, Spencer now gets to enjoy the real-life results. “The greatest difference I’ve seen compared to my previous set-up is the KPTs’ performance at low pressures,” he explains. Whether there’s a line break or the water supply has suddenly gone down, “they’re still able to do their job, instead of producing just a trickle.” His final verdict is the mark of a true expert – short and to the point: “They just work.”
