Five Benefits of DIY Farm Drainage
Implementing a drainage system on your farm has several benefits. If increasing crop health and productivity, soil health, and overall farm management are goals for your farm, then one decision to install drainage is a solution that can make those goals achievable. Farm drainage systems that are self-installed are an excellent way for farmers to improve their fields' health and reduce the work required while crops grow and mature to harvest. Self-installation also provides the added benefit of saving the labour costs of hiring a contractor. If farm drainage has inherent essential benefits, what's the difference between hiring someone to install the field drainage for you versus DIY field drainage that you install yourself?
What is Farming Drainage?
Tile drainage is a form of agricultural water management that removes water from the soil's subsurface. Excess water produces adverse effects, including inadequate root development, soil degradation or compaction, and crop growth inhibition. Farm machinery will not perform best when dealing with too much subsurface water. Tile drainage aims to solve these problems.
Removing excess water from the soil profile is controlled through a series of drainage pipes — tile or tubing — installed below the soil surface just under the root zone. These subsurface drainage networks then open to a nearby ditch or stream. Because each field is unique, the design and installation of a drainage system require careful research and planning.
The drainage design of each field will vary and depends on topography, types of crops, and soil variety. These factors determine the drainage depth and spacing needed for optimal land improvement. The most common type of tile is corrugated plastic tubing with tiny holes to facilitate water entry. When the soil's water table is higher than the tile, water enters the tubing and, as a result, lowers the water table, ditching the excess moisture to streams and other outlets.
This field drainage tile process produces many benefits: improved crop quality and production, reduced soil evaporation, well-aerated root systems, timely field operations for early planting, enhanced productivity, and prevention of harmful salt buildup in the soil. Farm Xport sells Soil-Max pridefully due to their precise and progressive tools that allow producers to achieve these results efficiently and effectively.
Agricultural drainage systems have been integral to keeping farmland functioning and sustainable for many years. Besides providing a way to drain excess water, reduce erosion, and increase farmland productivity, these systems also serve as a vehicle for protecting and enhancing the environment. The reasons to tile are numerous – but ultimately, it comes down to increasing your yield and maximising profit. Farm Xport makes tiling incredibly affordable, and a one-time, up-front investment in a tile machine typically can be recouped within the first year. Plus, you can expect ripple-effect benefits for years to come. Let's DIG into our five reasons to DIY your farm drainage!
1. Save on Time
The number one issue about installing drainage for any farmer is time. Doing it yourself allows you the freedom to install your drainage when time permits and when conditions are ideal. No wait time, and no one mudding your field by just trying to get the job done!
2. Do It at Your Own Pace
Perhaps you don't need your entire field tiled, or you want to work in one section. Set your own pace to complete your project in your desired timeframe. For instance, tile an entire field over four years instead of trying to accomplish the whole job in one growing season.
3. Price Too High? DIY!
Everyone has a budget to spend on farm improvements. If an outside contractor or tiling an entire field is out of the budget, self-tiling is viable. Bonus: Consider starting a side business to supplement your farm income! Contracting yourself to complete drainage jobs for other farmers could provide an opportunity to diversify your farming operation's portfolio of solutions.
4. Short Season or Weather Conditions
Depending on your location, there isn't always time to get your end-of-season projects done before the weather shifts or the ground freezes. Having your tile plough allows you to utilise your time and install your drainage when it is optimal for your crops and you.
5. Lack of Local Contractors
Few (if any) contractors may tile in your area. Instead of contracting a crew located far away, purchase your tile plough and remain cost-effective.
Self-installing drainage on your farm is an effective farm practice that boasts the result of higher profits for your farm. Self-installing drainage is a great way to save time and money. You can install it on your own without hiring someone else. And because you are self-installing, you don't have to worry about any mistakes! Do it right. Do it yourself.
Self-installing drainage is also excellent for the environment. It will help keep soil from eroding and reduce water contamination from runoff. You'll also be able to use less fertiliser and chemicals when you install self-installing drainage because there will be more moisture in the soil after rainstorms. Properly placed tile installed with a Soil-Max plough only costs the producer one time over the product's life (50-100 years). You can't say the same for inputs or machinery that requires repairs and maintenance.
Why Farm Xport?
Farm Xport sells the entire family of Soil-Max DIY farm drainage solutions. Soil-Max produces ploughs that can pull with most tractors weights from 5 to 30 tonnes. Soil-Max builds its ploughs with T1 steel - a tremendously solid yet thin material. These ploughs offer superior durability and are easier to pull than ploughs made from thicker, heavier types of steel. Soil-Max is much different from other tractor-based drainage ploughs. It allows you to tow your plough with a large utility class tractor. Simply put, this plough is the easiest pulling plough ever.
Farm Xport believes the tiling process should be accessible and affordable for all producers. A trencher will be slower and more disruptive to your soil. Soil-Max DIY farm drainage solutions provide a cost-effective way to manage field drainage, so you can reap the benefits without breaking the bank. You will find that a single tiling plough investment pays for itself. The enhanced agricultural drainage system you create helps expand your profits in other ways. Ancillary expenses reduce through savings in machinery wear and tear, erosion and runoff prevention, and lower crop drying costs – producing significant benefits for you, the producers. Tiling your farmland will allow you to use fewer inputs, lower costs, and save time. Your crops will grow faster, healthier, and more consistently. Tiling your fields increases yield, productivity, soil health, and overall farm management. Using a Soil-Max plough to self-install provides you a quicker, more convenient, and cost-effective solution than a trencher. You can DIY with confidence when you use a Soil-Max plough. Farm Xport makes maximum growth possible by providing you with the best agricultural solutions, like a Soil-Max plough, to solve your farm drainage problems. Bottom line: a one-time, up-front investment in a tile plough will comfortably recoup within a single growing season. Visit www.farmxport.com/soilmax to see how Farm Xport gives you the confidence to DIY your farm drainage.