Interested in Fine-tuning Your Irrigation Decisions? Try the Free Online Irrigation Management Assistant (IMA) Tool

May 10, 2023

By Vasudha Sharma and Bryan Runck

The Irrigation Management Assistant (IMA) tool utilizes soil, weather, crop type, and user input data to provide an automated daily recommendation for efficient irrigation scheduling. After rolling out the free online tool to growers in several Minnesota counties last year, the tool is now available to growers interested in efficiently managing their irrigation statewide.

The tool is available at ima.respec.com

About the Irrigation Management Assistant tool

Initially, a private company, RESPEC, worked with the Benton County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) to develop the original version of the IMA tool for the Little Rock Creek areas of Benton and Morrison counties. The Benton SWCD received the original 2016 grant for their vision of an automated irrigation scheduler for Minnesota growers from the Environment & Natural Resources Trust Fund (ENRTF). Benton SWCD worked with local producers to implement this computerized irrigation software. Subsequently, the East Otter Tail SWCD was chosen to demonstrate technology transfer as part of the original project, showing it can be implemented in other parts of Minnesota.

Eventually, the IMA tool was expanded to Becker, Hubbard, Otter Tail, Todd, and Wadena counties, supported by East Otter Tail SWCD, Dakota County (with support from Dakota County SWCD), and Pope and Sherburne Counties with support from the University of Minnesota Extension.

Now, with additional funding from ENRTF, we have expanded the IMA tool to all of Minnesota. The U of M is working with RESPEC to bring enhanced data to the tool, including soil data and statewide weather data for the 2023 growing season. Ongoing research on irrigation scheduling by the College of Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS) and U of M Extension will be incorporated into the tool in subsequent seasons to further improve its recommendations. The IMA tool uses weather and soil data provided by GEMS Informatics. GEMS Informatics is jointly led by CFANS and Research Computing, the administrative organization that oversees the Minnesota Supercomputing Institute, the U of M’s Informatics Institute, and U-Spatial.

Source : umn.edu

Video: Shearing Delay Leads To Kingston 4H Sheep Show!

What started as a disappointment turned into a day full of surprises, fun, and celebration as we leave Ewetopia Farms behind and head out to the Kingston Fair to watch the 4H sheep show

Today’s vlog was supposed to be another sheep shearing day here at Ewetopia Farms, but when our shearer had to cancel, we suddenly found ourselves with an unexpected free day. Lucky for us, the Kingston Fair was happening — and some of our own sheep (and friends) were competing!

We brought along our shearing helper and headed to the fairgrounds to cheer on the 4H kids and see how our sheep did in the show. From last-minute preparations and sheep showmanship to market lamb competitions and ewe classes, we take you behind the scenes of what it’s really like at a country fair.

We couldn’t be prouder — our girls walked away with wins in both showmanship and breeding ewe classes! Afterwards, we toured the fair, met a beekeeper with fascinating insights, admired other livestock shows, and wrapped up the evening with motocross stunts and a demolition derby!

Sometimes farm life throws curveballs — but today, it gave us the chance to celebrate community, our sheep, and the next generation of shepherds.