Products Catalog 2014

Even though Michael Shafel and his father, Jim Shafel, grow as little as 40 acres of field corn under the name Sunnydale Farms, they still benefit from today’s high corn prices. However, it’s not in the way one might think.Because they’re located in northern Wisconsin, near the small town of Bryant, the Shafel farm is actually too far north to grow high-production, full-season When he put together the budget for four T-L center pivot irrigation systems in 2012, Bob Wade, Jr. based the financial sheet on an average increase of 50 bushels of corn per acre. As it turned out, the difference was closer to 200 bushels per acre. Thanks to the severe drought that hit much of the Midwest that year — including the area around Glendale, Kentucky, where Wade farms approximately 4,000 acres of wheat, corn and soybeans — corn yields on dryland fields were anywhere from 30 to 70 bushels per acre. In the meantime, yields under Wade’s T-L pivots were in the range of 250 bushels.“We had some soybeans under the pivot that year, too,” Wade relates. “But the yield difference wasn’t as dramatic because we finally got some rain in late July and August, which helped the soybeans along. As a result, we averaged around 53 bushels per acre on dryland beans, with some fields under irrigation into the 70s. But with no rain and 106-degree days, the dryland corn was gone by the end of July.”Wade says in addition to the moisture the center pivots provided, the water also cooled the fields. IRRIGATION VIEWWINTER 2014A 200-Bushel Yield BoostSee Yield Boost on page 2HEAR WHAT OUR CUSTOMERS HAVE TO SAYwww.tlirr.comGet the most out of your T-L system with our variety of Pivot Control options. Program the speed, application rate, and direction to achieve the most efficient water usage. T-L pivots give users the assurance of uniform water application, improved crop production, and effective system management.T-L Irrigation CompanyP.O. Box 1047Hastings, Nebraska 68902-1047 USAPRSRT STDU.S. PostagePAIDPermit No. 68Wichita, KSTHIS EDITIONT-L IRRIGATION CO. INTRODUCES PMDI (Precision Mobile Drip Irrigation)PAGE 11PAGE 36 “The T-L Has Allowed Me More Quality Time With My Family.”8 Times … And Needs … Have Changed10 First Choice in PivotsT-L CELEBRATES 60 YEARS OF BUSINESSProgressive Technology Builds On ItselfThe use of T-L towable pivots on one Wisconsin potato farm has actually opened new doors.See Progressive Technology on page 7Bob Wade - Glendale, KYREMOTE CONTROLT-L pivots provide more net profit without additional investment in rent or land purchases.THERE ARE TWO MAIN ADVANTAGES OF PRECISION MOBILE DRIP IRRIGATION: Overall water efficiencyWith the drip line design, you eliminate evaporation and wind drift associated with traditional sprinklers because wind will not effect it as it applies the water at a super-efficient 95%. You get all the efficiency of surface drip at the much–reduced cost per acre price of center pivots.Dry wheel tracksIn many soils and cropping practices, deep wheel tracks on pivots and linears are a problem. With PMDI™ the drip lines water behind the wheels so the tires run on dry ground.IRRIGATION VIEW | 3With an eye toward helping farmers deal with water shortages and pumping restrictions, T-L Irrigation Company has gone back to the drawing board and introduced a new version of the company’s unique PMDI™ (Precision Mobile Drip Irrigation) system. According to Dave Thom, vice-president of sales at T-L Irrigation, the PMDI technology combines the benefits of T-L’s hydrostatically powered center pivot irrigation systems with the efficiency of drip irrigation for total water efficiency that approaches 95 percent. “Universally available for all new or used pivot or linear irrigation systems, PMDI features in-line driplines spaced at 60-inch intervals that are pulled through the field by a center pivot or lateral move irrigation system,” says Thom, noting that lines can also be spaced at 30- or 40-inch intervals. “As the hoses are pulled behind the system, emitters, spaced every six inches, deliver an even water pattern across the full length of the pivot or linear system.” Although T-L patented and introduced PMDI for the first time approximately ten years ago, the key to its reintroduction is a new partnership with Netafim, Inc., a world leader in drip irrigation products. The new, improved version not only addresses the current growing interest in water conservation related to drought and lowering water tables, but provides better durability. Because the driplines do not put the water out in the air, but rather directly onto the soil surface, the evaporation and wind drift associated with traditional sprinklers is virtually eliminated. “In effect, producers gain the flexibility of a center pivot, while utilizing drip irrigation efficiency.” Thom continues. “Most importantly, it provides a water saving solution for customers who are faced with water restrictions or deficit irrigation.” Although PMDI does require some additional management, user experience has shown this factor to be far outweighed by the benefits of improved watering efficiency. “Plus, producers have experienced reduction in wheel track problems since the PMDI drip lines emit water behind the pivot wheels, which then are running on dry ground,” Thom concludes. “The PMDI system works well, too, for crops like tomatoes and vegetables that are traditionally watered at surface level to avoid disease or crop damage. So we think it’s past time for it to once again be part of the T-L product line-up.” T-L Irrigation Co. Introduces Precision Mobile Drip Irrigation (PMDI)2 | IRRIGATION VIEWFor more information on Precision Mobile Drip Irrigation (PMDI), call 800-330-4264, email T-L at sales@tlirr.com or visit www.tlirr.com/products/precision_mobile_drip_irrigation.“It was probably 10 degrees cooler in the corn under the pivots,” he recalls. “Of course, the pivots were running almost 24/7 during the drought. That’s when you realize just how important it is to have some of the crops under irrigation.”Due in part to that early success, Wade added four more T-L pivots in the spring of 2013, followed by another two in the fall, bringing the total under irrigation to nearly 1,000 acres. All but one, he says, make a full circle, covering 60 to 120 acres each. While most of them pull water directly from nearby rivers, the three located near the farmstead were a little more of a challenge. Consequently, Wade is building a new six-acre pond near his house to serve as a continuous water supply.“It’s designed to hold almost 46 million gallons and supply around 800 acres,” he says. “In the meantime, the pond will get its water from a well that pumps about 500 gallons per minute and a wet-weather creek that feeds into it,” he adds, noting that he also had bridges built so one of the pivots could cross the creek. “My plan was to build the pond for a steady water supply that could exceed the well capacity when necessary; but all of a sudden, I have all these friends offering recreational ideas,” he grins. “They’re all thinking about the fishing opportunities.”Still, Wade had more than drought protection and fishing in mind when he started building the pond and buying more pivots. He was also thinking of the increased income potential.“It’s all about making the land that I own more productive,” he says. “As crop land rent has gone up, it has become more economical to put irrigation on the land that I own and increase yields that way than to rent more land. It’s simply a way to expand without acquiring more land or labor.”Wade says the pivots also provide a means for adding 32 percent liquid fertilizer during the growing season and applying fungicide when necessary.“In 2012, I made two applications of nitrogen and one application of fungicide through the pivot,” he explains. “I think the fungicide application, in particular, was more precise than it has been when we had it flown on.”Wade had more in mind than just the precision provided by continuous-movement, hydraulic drive, though. He also credited Ken Moore with R & K Pivots, his T-L dealer for his decision.“I looked at all the different brands and talked to several company representatives at the farm shows,” he relates. “But I ultimately decided on T-L because I liked the dealer. R & K Pivots has been in business for almost 30 years, while the dealers for some of the other brands have only been around since pivot irrigation started moving east. “I also liked the hydraulic drive, since some of the bottoms, where I pull the irrigation water out of the river, tend to flood on occasion,” he adds. “I didn’t want to worry about having electric motors under water.“Another thing is I thought the hydraulic drive would stand up better on our farm than the electric motors,” he continues. “We have ground that’s a little rougher than you would find in the Midwest or some other parts of the country. So I hate having equipment that’s not built to run over a rock or two and handle some tough conditions,” he concludes. “I once had a planter that was built too light and we didn’t keep it long for that reason. So far, T-L hasn’t disappointed.” Wade / Yield Boost“It’s all about making the land that I own more productive.”THE CHOICE IS SIMPLE.www.tlirr.com151 East Hwy 6 & AB Road · P.O. Box 1047Hastings, Nebraska 68902-1047 USACERTIFIEDQUA LI TYISO9001Phone: 1-800-330-4264Fax: 1-800-330-4268Phone: (402) 462-4128 Fax: (402) 462-4617sales@tlirr.com · www.tlirr.comT-L IRRIGATION SYSTEMS ARE EASIER ON YOU.Experience maximum uptime and eliminate the hassles of electric drive machines with the simplicity and reliability of T-L’s exclusive hydraulic design. Safety, high maintenance costs, and unexpected downtime will no longer be major concerns.STOP COPPER THEFT.Copper wire is being stolen from electrically powered pivot systems at an alarming rate, sometimes on multiple occasions. T-L’s hydrostatically powered pivot systems can be designed with no wire to steal, eliminating the problem entirely. RECOVER YOUR LOST PRODUCTION WITH T-L.Eliminate the “spoking” effect caused by the start-stop operation of electrically-powered pivot irrigation systems and get the benefits of even water distribution only hydraulically driven T-L systems can provide.THE T-L DIFFERENCE | Contact T-L, your T-L dealer, or visit www.tlirr.com to learn more.LIKE NO OTHER.RELIABLE IRRIGATION PERFORMANCE…Electric Center PivotT-L Center PivotIRRIGATION VIEW | 76 | IRRIGATION VIEW“This is the best and, judging from this year’s crop, the most even water distribution system I’ve seen, and I’ve done hand-lines, wheel-lines, and another center-pivot,” Tim Morelli states.Tim farms 1,000 acres of irrigated alfalfa, wheat, and barley for forage, plus dry land wheat near Maupin, Oregon. The T-L unit is in its first full season and, thanks to having a corner system, applied water to 171 acres of alfalfa. Even though Morelli’s water supply is limited, he harvested five tons of dairy quality hay in three cuttings.“This T-L has provided tremendous savings for us. Overall watering efficiency has increased so much,” he comments. “And, while I don’t have any figures on this, I can tell by the looks of the field that we don’t have the dry streaks and wind streaks like we did before. This may not be a scientific study, but the farmer in me is saying this is good.”The T-L replaced six wheel-lines—and the labor they demanded. These units had to be moved twice a day, morning and night, every day of the week. Morelli also thinks his yield potential is higher now since he can get water back on the harvested field so much sooner.He says the combination of drop hoses and sprinkler package low to the ground has pretty much eliminated wind loss and lowered evaporation loss. The T-L, he points out, “Puts the water right down where we want it. It doesn’t have to float through the air. I just can’t say enough about this low profile system and the good job it’s doing.”Morelli remembers that his first thought when he saw the T-L corner machine was, “This must be some kind of madman’s dream.”“However,” he adds, “I’m impressed. It folds out where it’s supposed to and then folds back when it’s supposed to with the sprinklers sequencing and shutting off. I can’t see any real wet spots, so it’s applying water uniformly.”The T-L system’s not requiring high voltage electricity was a major buying factor, according to Morelli.. Safety was another consideration along with having no electricity source readily available. Even more important was the absence of continual starting and stopping with a T-L.After a lightening strike blew out the oscillator board, the support Morelli got from the Company was, he says, “just incredible. One man from the Nebraska plant had given me his cellphone number and said to call any time. When I got him at home he was watching a football game. Yet he was still willing to take the time to walk me through what I needed to do.”There’s another payoff from the labor the T-L saves, although Morelli doesn’t quite know how to put a dollar value on it. As he stresses, “Any time you can buy yourself a little more time, especially when you’re raising a family, it’s important. The T-L has allowed me more quality time with my family.” “The T-L Has Allowed Me More Quality Time With My Family.”“This is the best and, judging from this year’s crop, the most even water distribution system I’ve seen.Tim Morelli - Maupin, ORView parts of this interview at tlirr.com/difference/testimonialscorn on their 900-acre operation. Their specialty is potatoes and vegetables grown with the aid of five T-L towable center pivot irrigation units. The irony is that when corn prices are high, farmers to the south switch from vegetables to corn — which provides higher overall profits for them due to their longer growing season and higher yields — shifting even more of the vegetable market to the Shafels and neighboring Bryant area farms.“This year, we have 230 acres of potatoes, along with 100 acres of peas, 140 acres of sweet corn and 140 acres of snap beans, or green beans,” says Michael, noting that three fourths of the potatoes are marketed as seed potatoes to other growers. “The rest of the farm was divided between 170 acres of wheat, 40 acres of field corn, 40 acres of alfalfa and maybe 12 acres of soybeans.”Shafel explains that one of the benefits of the sweet corn, beans and peas is that the canning company contracts the crop and the buyer does all the harvesting. Sunnydale Farms is simply paid for managing the crop for the highest possible yields.“It’s kind of a hit-and-miss situation with the canning companies,” says Michael’s wife, Kathleen, who is also heavily involved in the family operation. “They prefer to find fields closer to the factory to reduce their transportation costs. So if they get enough land in the vicinity, they don’t come up this far. But when they do, it’s a win-win for all of us.”“It just depends on the price of field corn,” adds Jim Shafel. “And a lot of times, we don’t know whether we’ll have a contract until spring.”One thing is certain, though … the focus will continue to center around certified seed potato production for the Shafel family. In fact, the operation is now in its fifth generation with Michael and Kathleen’s son, Markus, playing a vital role in the day-to-day farm operations. The farm’s origins extend back to the early 1900s with Jim’s father. Although Jim’s family had a dairy while he was growing up, they “left the cows behind,” as Jim relates, when they moved five miles to their current location in 1970. Today, the family produces an average of seven to eight million pounds of potatoes annually and markets six different seed potato varieties that include both red and white types and varieties bred for table consumption and potato chip production. The downside is that potatoes require a lot of water and, often, a lot of labor, which prompted Jim to purchase the first T-L pivot more than 25 years ago. Today, the family has five stationary electric center pivot units, five T-L towable pivots, one stationary T-L unit, one electric towable pivot and two portable “hose pull” units. “Our T-L towables cover 40 acres each and are moved back and forth to cover 80 acres,” Michael explains. “Right now, all of them are on potatoes, but we’ll have vegetables, alfalfa or wheat under them at times, too, depending on the field rotation. Potatoes are on a three-year rotation, so for two out of every three years, that field will be in vegetables, wheat, corn or alfalfa. Another nice thing about vegetables is we can plant winter wheat right behind a vegetable crop,” he continues. “However, there have been some dry falls when we have had to irrigate right after the crop got planted.”The T-L towable pivots have done more than just make it easier to irrigate potatoes, though. They’ve also done a lot to open up the Shafels’ vegetable market, as Michael explains. “There were times in the past, when we were still using some hard hoses, that it was all we could do to keep up with irrigation on the potatoes,” he relates. “There simply wasn’t enough time left to take care of a canning crop, because potatoes come first”“The thing we like most about the T-L towable units is they take less time to move and they are a lot easier to move,” adds Jim, noting that the units are moved at least once a week and as often as twice a week. “Each unit has its own power unit that moves with it, as well as built-in hydraulic jacks; so all we have to do is lift and swing the wheels and pull the whole pivot to the adjacent field.“Of course, the hydraulic drive and the fact that you don’t have to deal with high-voltage electricity was a big selling point, too,” Jim continues. “But we really bought them for their towability.”Kathleen points out that the availability of irrigation on every field has also provided a boost to their vegetable operation. “Since the crop is grown on a contract and the canning company covers all the expenses, they want to know that they’re going to get a crop, even in a drought year,” she says. “So they prefer their crops to be under irrigation and will actually pass you by if you don’t have irrigation.“If you think about it long term, the more progressive you get with tools like the T-L towable pivots, the more productive you become, which helps you get even more progressive,” Kathleen concludes. “So progressive technology tends to build on itself.” Shafel / Progressive TechnologyJim, Kathleen, and Michael Shafel - Bryant, WI“The thing we like most about the T-L towable units is they are a lot easier to move.”Back when Mark Utecht and his dad raised hogs near Hastings, Nebraska, the wheat grown in the corners of fields irrigated with T-L center pivot units went to good use. Not only was it an extra dryland crop for the cash grain market, but the straw was actually needed for bedding in the hog barns. A lot of things have changed since then, though. Now that the hogs are gone and the barns are empty, there’s no longer a need for straw. Plus, the center pivot, which was adjacent to the hog operation, was already close to 40 years old. So, in an effort to “kill two birds with one stone,” Utecht installed a new T-L corner pivot system this past spring that covers the entire field. The irony is that a portion of the old pivot is still going after 39 years. “Dad installed the very first T-L center pivot in 1973; but that part of the farm went to a cousin who has since replaced it with a new T-L,” Utecht explains. “However, the one I just replaced was a pivot that Dad bought and installed in 1975.”While the original unit utilized chain drives on each tower, Utecht had since replaced all but one of those with hydraulic motors on the wheels, bringing it closer to today’s standards. Still, the unit was too good to totally retire as salvage. “I sold eight of the towers and spans to a neighbor,” he explains. “He hasn’t done anything with four of them yet, but he has already used the other four to build a pivot that covers a corner that he can’t reach with the main pivot.”In the meantime, Utecht enjoys the benefit of being able to irrigate approximately 152 acres in the field with the newest unit … particularly since approximately two-thirds of his 600 acres consists of corn-on-corn. “I’ve always felt like corn gives me the best return on investment,” he continues. “And I still do things the traditional way by using a disc/chisel in the fall and following it with a field cultivator in the spring before I plant.”Not surprisingly, he feels the same about T-L center pivot units. They’re simple and reliable.“I’ve priced other brands, but I’ve always stuck with T-L, partly because of the hydraulic drive, but mainly because of the dealer and the service,” he says. “I’m more comfortable around hydraulics and think they’re a lot simpler than electric drives. Plus, every so often, I hear another horror story about the service, or lack of it, that somebody got from another brand.” After taking over the family farm and beginning to farm full-time in the mid-’90s, Utecht says he actually bought his first T-L unit on his own in 2005. That was placed on a quarter-section farm that he purchased in an effort to expand the operation. Otherwise, all his land lies south of Hastings within a few miles of the home farm. “At this point, everything is under irrigation with all but 70 acres being under pivots,” he relates. “The only field that is still being flood irrigated has a good slope to it, so it’s easy to irrigate. But it still takes a lot of work that I don’t have with the pivots,” he adds, joking that his time isn’t worth much. The only other regret that Utecht has is that the newest corner pivot system is the only one that makes a full circle. The rest of them automatically reverse due to a farmstead or other obstacle blocking the path.“I wish they all went in a full circle,” he insists. “But at least with this newest T-L, I’m getting more of the field watered than we ever did in the past.”In the meantime, most any farmer in Nebraska will tell you that corn returns more per acre than wheat. And as livestock disappears from more and more row-crop operations, there certainly isn’t as much need for straw. Times … And Needs … Have ChangedA T-L corner pivot system has redefined the role of corners on one Nebraska farm.Mark Utecht - Hastings, NEIRRIGATION VIEW | 98 | IRRIGATION VIEWGPS NAVIGATIONCORNER SYSTEMST-L’s GPS NAVIGATION CORNER SYSTEM is the ultimate in design simplicity.Featuring Real Time Kinematic (RTK) accuracy and Wheel Angle Sensor (WAS) for true tracking, the package includes the base station, eliminating the need for a subscription. The system tracks multiple constellations reducing the signal loss caused by tree lines and other obstacles and there is no electronic interference from power lines. Operators can easily change the path of the system through a simple “teach” function.Users get “track on track” accuracy pass after pass, fast start up time, and real-time diagnostics so they can watch it work. Safety is assured through low voltage, DC(24VDC), and there is no buried wire. Combined with T-L’s hydrostatic design, low maintenance, reliability and unmatchd continuous movement, T-L’S GPS NAVIGATION CORNER SYSTEM represents the optimum in pivot Corner System management.T-L’S GPS NAVIGATION CORNER SYSTEMLIKE NO OTHER.Inside the competitor’s control box/panelCompetitor’s exterior control boxInside T-L Irrigation’s control box/panelT-L’s exterior control box• RTK Accuracy (sub-inch)• Base Station included, no subscription required• WAS (Wheel Angle Sensor) for True Tracking• Track on Track accuracy, pass after pass• Fast Start up Time• “Teach” function to easily change the path• No electronic interference with power lines• Tracks multiple constellations, reduces signal loss behind tree lines• Real Time diagnostics, watch it work• No Buried Wire required• Continuous movement of all drive units• Safe & Simple low voltage DC (24VDC)• 2 Patents PendingCERTIFIEDQUA LI TYISO9001Since 1955, when LeRoy Thom founded T-L Irrigation Company in Hastings, Nebraska, that has been the philosophy behind every T-L center pivot and linear irrigation unit. Today, that philosophy is represented by more than 250 dealers worldwide and appreciated by the thousands of customers who are using T-L center pivot systems to irrigate crops in 44 states and in more than 70 countries.Celebrating 60 years in business in 2015, T-L has always maintained the “We’re farmers” concept, which means the company’s marketing decisions are always based on how a farmer would view and use the product to make money. That’s also the main reason that T-L is the only irrigation system manufacturer to use hydrostatic drive instead of electric motors. Thom reasoned that nearly all farmers understand hydraulics and can make most necessary repairs themselves. There’s little need to call for an expensive serviceman or have a system down while waiting on repair. Built to keep running with a minimum of maintenance also ensures T-L’s popularity in third world countries, where electricians are in short supply and many operators can neither read nor write. Of course, there’s also the safety factor of not having to deal with the 480 volts of electricity that power electric systems or the risk of damage caused by lightning strikes. Ironically … and unfortunately … electrically driven pivots are also susceptible to an issue that LeRoy Thom couldn’t even have imagined 60 years ago. That is copper theft by thieves looking to make a few dollars from the sale of a quarter mile or more of copper wire. Because T-L pivots are driven by hydraulic motors, they also operate continuously without the stops and starts of electric systems. That provides two distinct advantages. First, there’s obviously less wear and tear on the system … not to mention there are no relay switches or circuits that can fail. Second, the water is applied more uniformly to crops without having any “spoking” effect, since the system always moves smoothly through the field.Leroy Thom had more than easy maintenance in mind, though, when he coined the phrase, “We’re farmers.” He meant it literally. “I don’t think there’s a one of our 250 employees who doesn’t have some farm connection, whether engineer, salesman, in the plant or management. This makes a big difference,” he recently stated. “Many of them are even second generation T-L employees.”T-L has tested its machines, as a farmer would, by putting thousands of hours on units in Arizona, where they can operate year-round, simulating 40 to 50 years of use in the field. In addition, the company continually tests new ideas and products on farms near the factory — all to ensure that a unit or component will provide the dependability that T-L customers have come to expect. Perhaps that is why T-L Irrigation leads the irrigation industry in providing warranties that are two to three times longer than any other center pivot manufacturer. Knowing that every farm is different, T-L also goes above and beyond on the choice of options and finance packages it offers. It starts with a choice of either planetary or worm gear drive systems. Plus, the company offers aluminum and Poly-Coated pipe options, in addition to galvanized steel. Finally, T-L can provide financing to buyers through T-L Credit Co., which offers more flexibility for precisely fitting the buying needs of its customers.Reflecting back on 60 years, Thom observes, “It’s really been fun to help in the development of center pivot irrigation. When I first started selling hand-move systems, we talked about 80- to 100-bushel per acre corn. Now we talk about 200- to 250-bushel … even 300-bushel yields. Today there’s nothing that can take the place of a center pivot irrigation system.” Farmers have enough to worry about in Argentina’s Catamarca Province without having to worry about adequate rainfall. After all, 80 percent of the area is covered by mountains; plus, the 39,615-square-mile province, which borders Chile on the west side of the country, is noted for its extreme weather. Even within the small confines of the Catamarca Province, weather can range from tropical in the east to desert-like in the west. Meanwhile, temperatures vary widely, depending upon altitude, with the low-lying areas noted for extreme summer heat that averages from 91 to 95 degrees F during the day, and peaks as high as 113 degrees F. To make matters worse, almost all the scarce summer precipitation falls as intense, sporadic thunderstorms.It’s little wonder that agriculture represents only five percent of the province’s economic output. And most of that comes from wood, vineyards, olives, citrus and cotton. Still, with the help of T-L Irrigation, Hernan Manrique SA, Tecnocampo SA, and several center pivot units, the El Yunque farm, located in the provincial subdivision of Santa Rosa Department, has been producing a diversified mix of corn, soybeans, wheat, potatoes, carrots and sweet potatoes for more than a decade. According to Emilse Alesso, manager of Agrocar Norte S.A., an export company that owns El Yunque, the company installed the first center pivot units in Catamarca Province in 2003.“That was actually the first experience with center pivot irrigation for any of us,” says Alesso, noting that the company also has farms in the adjacent Cordoba Province, which is Argentina’s fifth largest province. “Today, we have a total of 1,350 hectares (3,336 acres) under irrigation, with 1,150 hectares (2,842 acres) under pivots and 200 hectares (494 acres) under surface irrigation. The main crop under irrigation is corn.”While one might expect the climate to be Alesso’s biggest challenge, he insists that his greatest obstacle is, instead, the local regulation of the U. S. dollar value — particularly since Agrocar Norte S.A. works with Monsanto on several projects — and international commodity prices.Fortunately, the T-L center pivots that dot the farm haven’t been near the challenge as international finance. “We have 15 pivots in total,” Alesso explains. “Of those, 11 are T-L units. On average, they’re used to put on about 350 millimeters (13.8 inches) of water per year.”In the meantime, Alesso says water is pumped from wells that deliver from 200 to 250 cubic meters (52,800 to 66,000 gallons) of water per minute. However, each pivot is managed differently, depending upon the crop and the soil. In general, most of the fields are sandy, which means they don’t hold a lot of moisture at any one time. Hence, the need for frequent irrigation. That’s also the reason fertilizer is applied at intervals and in both liquid and granular form. While some is applied with the planter, the rest is “spoon fed” post-emergence with a self-propelled sprayer. Due to the fact that they are all less than 12 years old, Alesso says he is fortunate in that he hasn’t had any major problems with any of the pivot units. However, he notes, “If any problems appear with the electric pivots, it is hard for the operator or farm employees to fix it. You need a specialist near to solve electric pivot problems.“We tend to do the periodical service with our own farm personnel,” he continues. “Then, once per year, we call the technicians for an official service. That’s why the reliability of the T-L machines, the low amount of maintenance they need and the good service that we receive from the T-L dealer are among my favorite features,” he adds. “Other things I like about the T-L pivots are the quality of materials and the robust design.“We don’t have any plans right now for replacing the electric pivots,” he concludes. “But we are expanding and we plan to add more pivots. So I think the best plan would be to buy more T-Ls.” First Choice in PivotsIRRIGATION VIEW | 1110 | IRRIGATION VIEWT-L Irrigation Celebrates 60 Years Of Business“Design it right; then make it right.”T-Ls have quickly become the pivot of choice on this diversified farm in North West of Argentina.Emilse Alesso Catamarca Province, ArgentinaIRRIGATION VIEWRe-Center pivot irrigation has continued to pay off since Steve Rogers, who farms near Glendale, Kentucky, was featured in the Irrigation View in 2013. While he hasn’t had the chance to add any more T-L units, Rogers certainly saw the value in having irrigation available this past season. Due to dry weather at critical times this past summer, he said he used the pivots a number of times to add supplemental water. The result? While dryland fields yielded around 100 to 120 bushels per acre, the three fields under pivots yielded closer to 220 bushels on average, for a yield improvement of approximately 100 bushels.“The difference was pretty significant,” he admits. “Unfortunately, I’m currently at the limit on the amount of ground I can irrigate; but I’m still investigating ways I can add at least one more T-L pivot. It just depends on access and water availability.”Farther east, near Rowland, North Carolina, Bo Stone … who was featured two years ago in the T-L Irrigation View … is not only an advocate for T-L center pivot units, but for agriculture in general. If you recall, Stone had previously been selected as the winner of the 2010 North Carolina Swisher Sweets/Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year award.However, since his appearance in the Irrigation View article, Stone was also selected by the U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance as one of the winners of its Faces of Farming & Ranching program for 2013. USFRA’s goal through the contest is to promote agriculture by finding exemplary farming models who are both proud of farming and eager to promote the story of the industry to the public.As one of the Faces of Farming & Ranching, Stone spent part of this past year sharing his story and experiences on a national stage.“I recognize that farmers in general need to do a better job relaying our message and stories to the consumers of our products and others who will have a part in shaping our futures,” says Stone. “My objective was to reach an audience that doesn’t realize farmers have the same goals as them — to provide a safe, reliable and affordable source of food while protecting our natural resources.”Naturally, T-L continues to play a vital role in those goals. Our customers say it best.Local Dealer:R&K PivotsRussellville, KYLocal Dealer:Circle S IrrigationHartsville, SC12 | IRRIGATION VIEWEXISTING T-L OWNERSEmail sales@tlirr.com and we'll send you a copy of your sprinkler package.www.tlirr.com/enewseNEWS SIGN-UP Receive email updates on the latest product releases & news with T-L Irrigation. Visit www.tlirr.com/enews to sign up today.eNEWS› tlirr.com/testimonial/steve-rogers› tlirr.com/testimonial/bo-stone