How many times does it rain everywhere, but at your farm yard? How many apps can you find that display precipitation results accurately? These are questions that make a world of difference in how farmers go about their day.

Anytime a field gets too wet, large equipment cannot operate in it. Worse, if equipment does operate in it, you run the risk of compaction, damaging your equipment, or damaging the crop itself.  Plus, it wastes a lot of time and effort getting your equipment unstuck.

Right now, the only methods to check for field workability is to either trust the gauge in your area and call your neighbors to piece together a picture of the rainfall, or drive around each of your fields early in the morning to direct your crews to ones that are dry.  

The issues are a) the gauge data is valid only for a point, so if it says 10 mm (0.4 inches) of rain at the gauge located on a corner of a field, it could have rained 50 mm (2 inches) on the same field in the dead center; b) you end up burning a lot of time and gas if your fields are spread out over a larger area.

Saving Time and Money using Weather Data from Weather Decision Technologies (WDT)

Terry Aberhart, from Aberhart Farms Inc., operates 11,000 acres along the Saskatchewan/Manitoba border, spread out over a 50 km range. In the past, Terry utilized the above method to check on his fields and where to go.

“I used to get up and drive to all my fields," says Aberhart. "One day I said, I have this premium weather data on AgriData’s platform, why don’t I look at the map?”

At first Terry was skeptical of how accurate the reports were, until he started checking it himself.

Aberhart adds, “I opened up the map and started taking notes. I was amazed to discover how accurate the map was. I look at it every day and save a lot of time knowing where to go, and when.”

AgriData Premium Weather:

Growers can track not only precipitation data on their fields, but also accurate GDD for growth modeling and benchmarking. Temperature data is contoured on maps, where growers can visualize when freezing temperatures will impact their farm.

Trimble Ag Software:

Farming just got a whole lot easier. Trimble Ag Software, a superior farm management solution, launched in November, offers growers amazing tools when it comes to weather data, and so much more.

For growers that have the base software license — a Farmer Pro or Farmer Pro Plus account — they can access the Premium Weather feature for just $349 per year.

Please visit https://agriculture.trimble.com/software/ to find out more today!