Every month on the farm brings a new challenge. In our Farm Foes series, we’re taking you behind the scenes to share what really goes into growing popcorn. This month’s foe? Keeping the water flowing.
If you’ve driven through Nebraska or Kansas in the summer, you’ve probably seen giant irrigation pivots slowly making circles across the fields.
They look pretty simple.
Turn on the water. Let them go.
If only it were that easy.
July is when our popcorn really starts taking off. The plants are growing quickly, building strong stalks, and getting ready for one of the most important stages of the season: pollination. That also means they need a steady supply of water.
People are often surprised to learn that popcorn doesn’t just survive on rainfall. Depending on the year, popcorn needs roughly 20 to 25 inches of moisture from planting through harvest. Some years Mother Nature provides most of what the crop needs. Other years, we rely on irrigation to fill in the gaps.
That’s where the pivots come in.
Keeping Water Where It Belongs
An irrigation pivot is a remarkable piece of equipment, but it has dozens of moving parts that need attention throughout the season.
Every nozzle has a specific job. Every sprinkler applies a certain amount of water. If one becomes plugged, worn out, or damaged, part of the field receives too little water while another receives too much.
Sometimes the culprit is rust.
Sometimes it’s a mouse nest that found a cozy place to spend the winter.
Sometimes it’s leaves, debris, or simply normal wear and tear.
One of the biggest troublemakers is the end gun, the large sprinkler at the very end of the pivot that waters the outer edge of the field.
If it sticks open or doesn’t shut off where it’s supposed to, water ends up on roads or neighboring property instead of the crop. Besides wasting water, we’re not allowed to irrigate public roads. That’s why we routinely inspect, adjust, and repair our pivots throughout the season to make sure the water stays exactly where it belongs… on the popcorn.
Farming Means Constant Checking
During irrigation season, it’s normal to find us driving from field to field simply checking pivots.
Is everything turning?
Are all the sprinklers working?
Did a tire get stuck?
Is every nozzle spraying like it should?
Most of the time, the answer is yes.
Sometimes it isn’t.
And when something breaks, it usually doesn’t wait for a convenient time.
Every Drop Counts
One thing we’ve learned over the years is that water is one of our most valuable resources.
Whether it comes from a summer thunderstorm or an irrigation well, we want every drop to count.
That’s why we don’t just turn on a pivot and forget about it.
Throughout the growing season, our agronomist walks the fields each week, checking soil moisture, evaluating plant health, and helping us determine exactly what the crop needs. Those field visits, combined with regular pivot maintenance, help us apply water when it’s needed while avoiding unnecessary irrigation.
Growing a healthy popcorn crop is a team effort, and every decision is made with the goal of producing the best popcorn possible while being good stewards of the resources we’ve been given.
The Part You Don’t Always See
By the time you pour a bowl of popcorn for movie night, there’s a good chance we’ve spent a July afternoon replacing a nozzle, checking a pivot, or making sure the water was landing exactly where it should.
It’s one of those behind-the-scenes jobs most people never see.
But it’s all part of growing popcorn we’re proud to put our name on.
Thanks for Following Along
Every month brings a new challenge on the farm, and July’s just happens to involve a lot of water… and making sure it goes exactly where it belongs.
Have you ever wondered how irrigation pivots work or why farmers irrigate when it has already rained? We’d love to hear your questions.
Leave a comment below or send us a message. Your question might even inspire a future Farm Foe post. 🌽🍿
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