Chopping corn... and the economics of irrigation

 Remember this photo of the irrigated and non-irrigated corn fields from last week's post? Let's talk about our twenty acres (not hectares, I checked with the boss) of irrigated corn. Money for purchasing the supplies and infrastructure (big valves, roll flat and the tiny plastic drip lines, ect) came from CRMF donations. For more about them visit the website.  http://canadianresourcesformissions.com
With the exception of the plastic drip lines, everything is rolled up and put away to use next year.
Garry tells me the water we used in the field cost about two thousand dollars to buy from the pipeline (it was metered- that's another thing we bought- a meter!).

the roll flat - looks like firefighters lines

Last week they rolled up the roll flat before harvest,  this week they pulled up the disposable lines and baled them up yesterday to get rid of it.

find the tractor 

 Was irrigation worthwhile?
Yes!

 Look how tall the corn is compared to the regular fields. While chopping this field they had to drive 3 km per hour because the plants were so tall with thick foliage and the tractor was working hard the whole time. Some places they had to slow down even more.
The other fields they chopped for silage they went 7 (as fast as they could) and the tractor was not working hard at all.

changing full and empty wagons

going back for more after dumping it at the bunk at the new farm

Next year they believe they can irrigate more using the same equipment, (except for buying new rolls of drip-line plastic tubing) they decided they could have done more of the brown part of the field.  Because of the slope of the field it was easier to pump water than they were told.  They are trying to trade fields with a neighbor to get the next one over.

They may be able to irrigate a different field, if they can get to the pipe there, so all the corn grown could be irrigated. Corn silage is a big part of what the cows eat everyday, so this would be great to know there will be a good crop, no matter how dry the summer is.

We actually should be able to sell the bales of used plastic tubing for recycling into something, Garry tells me..