Wisconsin faces drought and dry conditions in most of the state. Farmers may see impacts when it comes to their crops. Severe drought conditions can cause crop yields to decline, and can affect water quality and availability.
Traditionally, a job set in the hands of mother nature, cranberry farmers are using technology that can help them better manage their irrigation and water management on their land.
A local cranberry farm is working with a company to better manage their water usage.
While looking across the bogs at Lake Nokomis Cranberries you can see a post stick out of the carpet of vines and berries.
That equipment comes from a company named Hortau. It helps a variety of farmers and crops keep track of their water usage.
It has a large cylinder mounted on a pole, with a wind mill and another small post holding a solar panel with cords running on the ground and a short metal probe.
The device helps farmers, like Dave Zawistowki and his son Michael who run Lake Nokomis Cranberry Farm in Eagle River, better manage their water irrigation to help prevent plant stress and over usage during dry times.
“It keeps us on our toes. We got to watch this more frequent and water. You got to wake up earlier and water more," said the younger Zawistowski. "That's a little more work on our end, but that's what this is for.”
Hortau measures the push and pull of water molecules from soil molecules and reports that information to farmers to better understand the amount of water needed for maximum fruit and plant quality. Cody Jones is the Midwest and Northeast territory manager for Hortau.
“Each crop that we work with has a blue band, or a comfort zone, where the soil tension likes to live, and that blue band is also measured by the plant health and also the health of the crop it spits out," said Jones. "Especially in drought years, growers can really hone into that blue band”
Cranberries are hearty plants but they can still face damage to quality and overall plant health without the proper regulation of water usage.
Hortau assists Lake Nokomis beyond just watering their bogs. Dave Zawistowski says it also helps with frost protection.
“Because the ground is lower here, it's usually 10-15 degrees cooler here than where they take the temperatures in town at the airport.” said Dave .
Devices like Hortau are helping farmers stay within the “sweet-spot” of moisture in the ground.
For cranberries that is around 4 to 7 kPa, or the force necessary for its roots to pull up moisture.
“As it dries out, we'll take in other data and we'll forecast exactly when the cranberry fields or beds will actually reach that dry irrigation threshold," said Cody Jones, the midwest and northeast territory manager for Hortau. "We can know exactly when to plan an irrigation event. If we do need to refill a reservoir, we can plan ahead for that as well.”
Hortau collects and updates data in real time that can be viewed via an app and allows farmers to take a look at all of their Hortau equipment spread across land. The Zawistowki’s also own two other cranberry farms, Stone Lake and another in Three Lakes.
“So like right there. You know, if you go like this is our other farm Stone Lake, so it's wet, perfect, and it's a little dry there," said Michael showing how it looks on his phone. "Then if we scroll over to ours, it's a little wet, little wet, good, and a little dry, but that one's dry because it's in a more sandy spot.”
Water is extremely important this time of year for cranberry farmers. Harvest is about a month away and the famous flooded bogs rely on smart decisions on water irrigation and management. Dave was quick to comment how it has changed their system.
“We use less now. No question about it," said Dave. "We were always overwatering to be on the safe side.”
As conditions in northern Wisconsin continue to remain dry, farm technology is helping farmers navigate the changing landscape to ensure quality crops.
Maria Peralta-Arellano is a reporter covering water quality and the environment for WXPR and a Report for America corps member. Report for America recruits, places and supports talented journalists in local newsrooms across the United States. Make a tax-deductible donation to support her work and Report for America will match it dollar for dollar. Donate here.
