Bryan Searle has been farming in eastern Idaho his entire life. Back when Searle was a boy, his father farmed several hundred acres; now, decades later, Searle Farms has grown to encompass 5,500 acres spread over a 30-mile area in southeastern Idaho. Having had such a wealth of experience, Searle knows that he needs to keep on top of various issues that can arise on his land at any given time. Because growers in Idaho spend about $2,500 to produce just one acre of potatoes, it’s no wonder Searle Farms is continually looking for innovative methods of cultivating their precious commodity so that they can get the most for their money.
Currently, Searle’s priority is getting the most out of the water he needs to use for his crops. “We are concerned with our environment, especially with the water shortage we’re experiencing in recent years,” he says. “Magnation has provided us with a way to grow better crops with less water, and it’s helped us stay profitable in business.”
Testing the Effects of Magnation
One commonly used practice in potato farming is testing plant tissue (petiole) to monitor nitrogen and other nutrient levels in the crop as it grows. Keeping apprised of the condition of the plants is essential for determining how much water and fertilizer is required. “For the variety of potatoes we grow, the conditions need to be fairly consistent—nothing too extreme,” says Searle. “Too dry or too wet, too much fertilizer or not enough fertilizer, you’re going to have problems. The quality of the potatoes is affected by these fluctuations, so it’s critical that the water is near perfect.”
After Searle was introduced to the Magnation water treatment product line by one of his equipment salesmen, he decided it was worth it to try the solution on one of his fields. The field he chose to test on is about three-quarters of a mile long, with one pivot on the south end and one on the north end. Searle installed a Magnation unit on the north half of the field; the south half was not treated. He carefully watched and tested for results throughout the growing season.
After the potatoes had been in the ground for about 60 days, he ran petiole tests to compare the plants from the two different sides of the field. The results convinced him that, indeed, Magnation was having a positive effect.
“Our nitrogen levels—in fact, all of our levels—were higher on those fields treated with Magnation,” says Searle. “We tested and monitored the crops throughout the year, and we also found that the Magnation side was wetter than the south side. We actually had to shut off irrigation intermittently for the north end, which was really unusual.”
Searle estimates that using Magnation allowed him to use about three revolutions—or 2 inches—less water. “We saved about one week’s worth of irrigation,” says Searle. “At least 10 percent less water was needed on the Magnation side.”
In addition, Searle found that on the half of the field that was treated via Magnation, they could reduce the amount of fertilizer they needed. “We used 30 fewer units of nitrogen and still had higher petiole readings,” he explained. “Thirty units of nitrogen is typically $18 per acre, and there were 130 acres that the Magnation pivot covered. So you get savings not only in water, but also savings off your power bill. That all adds up.”
Reducing Water Usage, Input Costs and Maintenance
Because Searle was so impressed with the results from Magnation, the next year he purchased four more 14-inch Magnation units to cover over 1,500 more acres. Again, he was amazed at the outcome.
“It was an extremely hot summer,” he says. “Our water consultant told us that we would not, under those conditions, ever be able to shut our water off that season. But, as it turned out, by using the Magnation units, we were able to intermittently shut off the water for 24 hours here or there. It really helped the ground retain water and moisture.
“Magnation is an important tool in our toolbox,” Searle continues. “The great thing about it is that it doesn’t require maintenance or electricity, and it can be installed easily. It helps us conserve water, which conserves power, which conserves money.”
Another important realization that Searle came to was about the longevity of the Magnation solution. He concluded that, although there are other solutions to help with water and uptake, those methods typically last for only one growing season at a time.
“If I put chemicals on my potato crops this year, next year I have to start over again and do the same thing,” says Searle. “Magnation’s guarantee and the results I’ve experienced over the past seven years assure me that this solution will last for multiple years without any decrease in effectiveness, and that’s a big plus.”