1998 Annual Report for FNC98-214
Alternate Vegetable Crop Irrigation System for Remote Areas
Summary
Adequate moisture from natural precipitation or irrigation is critical for the successful production of quality produce.
Objective: To demonstrate an unconventional irrigation system for commericial vegetable growers in remote locations lacking water and electrical utilities.
In an area with no public utilities and very little ground water, the producer installed a drip irrigation system for his commericial vegetable farm by using a French drain for water collection, underground and above-ground storage tanks, a solar-powered pump to move the water to above-ground storage and gravity-fed drip lines.
Results: The French drain provided a minimum of 15 gallons of water per hour during the summer drought, which was more than adequate to irrigate the three-acre community-supported agricultural farm.