Scott Parr is a fourth-generation farmer based in Grand Marsh, Wisconsin – a U.S. state so famous for its agriculture that its quarter-coin emblem is a cow, an ear of corn, and a wheel of cheese. It is here, right on the edge of America’s Midwest Corn Belt, that Scott manages his 3500-acre farm, trading as Harmony Ag. His family has cultivated this land for 125 years, navigating the region’s hot, dry summers and cold, snowy winters. Today, Scott grows a variety of crops ranging from soybeans, corn, small grain and alfalfa to green beans, sweetcorn and sunflowers. Only a small fraction of Scott’s land is reserved for rain-fed farming; 90 percent of his fields are under mechanized irrigation. This translates to around 40 center pivots and more than 7000 distribution devices. With volumes like these, the daily operating costs of the farm’s irrigation systems have a huge bearing on its overall profitability.
The current mission at Harmony Ag, therefore, is to optimize these systems for maximum energy efficiency. Scott was already using VFDs (variable frequency drives), which enable pumps to compensate for fluctuations in flow and/or pressure demand. However, he was still struggling with psi variances on the center pivots themselves, caused by worn-out regulators and unregulated sprinklers. This was compounded by straight-up equipment failure of his existing end guns and rotators. He was also keen to better utilize water resources by minimizing wind drift losses and ensuring effective water application precisely where it’s needed.
An on-site visit by Komet’s Technical Sales Manager was the first step to finding a clear path forward. This started with thorough flow checks and health assessments of the farm’s wells, followed by determining the soil (sand and sandy loam) and water type, which in this case shows a presence of iron and sand. The goal was to provide Scott with uniform irrigation across all pivots – but the real challenge was to achieve this in combination with a lower psi.
The next step was to find the right sprinkler model: a reliable, hardwearing distribution device that will withstand the farm’s ferrous water, deliver a controlled, wind-resistant droplet size, and perform effectively at low operating pressures. The choice fell on the KPT Peak – the top-of-pipe variant of Komet’s flagship KPT, whose exceptional efficiency has been field-proven in even the most adverse conditions. A couple of years back, the KPT Peak was also the first up-top sprinkler approved for North Dakota’s EQUIP program – a grant that supports resource conservation on working lands.
In contrast to the rotators previously used at Harmony Ag, the Komet KPT features an off-axis deflector with a unique groove configuration, along with a flow-responsive, hydro-mechanical brake system for maximum output control. The drop-mounted and up-top models of the KPT deliver outstanding coverage at regulated pressures as low as 10 psi, or even 6 psi (regulated) in certain set-ups. Thanks to its high-end materials and low-wear design (whereby minimal stress is placed on the sprinkler’s moving components), the reliability of the KPT also extends to the distribution of a wide variety of fertilizers.
To start his energy-saving mission, Scott eliminated more than 3000 rotators by other brands in favor of Komet’s state-of-the-art KPT Peaks. His new sprinkler packages, which also include 10 psi KPR-X pressure regulators, are operated at 25-70 psi with application rates of 400 – 1200 gpm. By changing over to the KPT Peak, Scott has not only decreased the psi of his center pivots, but also their overall operating hours – both of which have greatly reduced his energy costs. At the same time, he also reports improved crop uniformity and minimized wind drift compared to his previous products.
In fact, Scott has been so impressed by the benefits of the KPT that he is continuing to replace his remaining irrigation set-up with Komet sprinklers. This includes swapping his current end guns by another manufacturer for Komet 101 Twin Ultra high-volume guns, which offer an average gain of 15 ft on those vital areas beyond the outermost pivot spans.
In the present day, the conservation of our natural resources is on everybody’s mind, both for environmental and financial reasons. Fortunately, advances in the field of irrigation technology and engineering have made this task a lot less daunting: with proper consultation and an expertly designed sprinkler package, boosting your center pivot’s performance while lowering its running costs are no longer mutually exclusive. In other words: there really is a way to have it all.
Watch Josh Mosier, our Technical Director for North America, explain the five features that define the KPT/KPT Peak.
In this video Gustavo Hossri of Komet Brazil outlines the Komet Twin Ultra high-volume guns.
Would you like to improve your irrigation system’s efficiency and performance? We offer everything you need to make the right choice for your field:
• Contact us with any questions surrounding irrigation – we’re always happy to talk about our favorite topic!
• Find your region’s dedicated Komet Irrigation Expert here.
• Sign up for our free Komet Academy – a series of live-streamed, one-hour lectures on topics ranging from end-of-system irrigation to understanding application rates.
