Row crop skills management classes to be offered
by February 28, 2018 6:37 pm 315 views
Farmers preparing for the 2018 row crop growing season can acquire management skills through classes offered by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture during the month of March.
Three classes will be offered. One will focus on multiple inlet rice irrigation, and another one will discuss soil moisture sensors. The third combines both surge and soil and covers co-surge valve use and layout as well as the basics of soil moisture sensors and how to use them to schedule irrigation.
The number of participants for each school is limited. The rice irrigation schools cover how to use a mobile app and electronic levee files to design for poly pipe in rice fields and how to get the data from the tractor to the app.
There is no cost for the rice irrigation school. The $400 cost of the surge and soil moisture school includes eight sensors, a slide hammer installation tool and a manual reader for those that do not have the tools needed to use sensors. Participants construct sensors and install them as part of the school.
Chris Henry, associate professor for irrigation with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said industry has provided a deep discount on the supplies need to get started with sensors, so that participants can get the tools they need to use sensors effectively for irrigation.
SURGE VALVE AND SOIL MOISTURE SENSOR CLASSES
March 1 – It will be held at the Rice Research and Extension Center, located at 2900 east Hwy 130 in Stuttgart. To register contact Phil Horton 870-946-3231.
March 2 – It will be held at the Jackson County Extension Office, 649 Jackson 917 in Newport. To register contact Matt Davis, 870-523-7450.
March 9 – It will be held in the Lon Mann Cotton Research Station, 8 Lee County Road 214, in Marianna. To register contact Stan Baker, 870-295-7720.
March 21 – It will be held in the Rector Community Center, 740 East 9th St., in Rector. To register contact Stewart Runsick, 870-857-6875.
SOIL MOISTURE SENSOR CLASSES
March 6 – It will be held in the Manila airport auditorium, 800 Airport Dr., Manila. To register contact Ray Benson, 870-762-2075.
MULTIPLE INLET RICE IRRIGATION APP SCHOOL
March 5 – It will be held in the Lon Mann Cotton Research Station, 8 Lee County Road 214, Marianna. To register contact Stan Baker, 870-295-7720.
March 7 – It will be held in the Rice Research and Extension Center, 2900 Hwy 130 East, Stuttgart. To register contact Phil Horton 870-946-3231.
March 9 – It will be held in the East Arkansas Community College, 1790 Falls Blvd. in Wynne. To register contact Rick Wimberley, 870-238-5745.
March 20 – It will be held in the Rector Community Center, 740 East 9th St. in Rector. To register contact Stewart Runsick, 870-857-6875.
For more information on irrigation, contact your county extension office or visit here for more.