pasture water systems

[cowman]

I have 70 acres in new pasture I intend to rotational graze. I want to run water lines to a couple of locations. I've decided to go with 1 inch line. What is the cheapest way to plow this line in? And what should it cost me? How deep should I go? Any other helpful tips?

[cowman]

Just another short note: Once I tried running a water line to a pasture above ground. I think it was 3/4 black plastic pipe. The coyotes found this a great thing to chew! I sort of had an instant irragation system! I don't know what the attraction was...maybe they just got a kick out of watching the water squirt!

[countryguy]

Cowman have you checked with PFRA about this?Out here they were doing some testing this summer with a plow they developed for this purpose.I didn't get to go to the demo so I don't know a heck of alot about it.I do know that it makes a furrow and lays the hose at the same time.Let me know if you'd like more information.I can give you the names of specific people to talk to here if you can't find any info out there.

[gallard]

Cowman: Try contacting Red Deer irrigation. They plowed a line in for us about 5 years ago. It is about 15-18 inches deep and we ran the line nearly a mile with risers for a tap about 200' apart. They come in the fall and blow the line out before freeze-up. It has worked well for us as we split the quarter in half and ran the fence over top so we can graze from both sides. Good -luck.

[gallard]

Cowman: Try contacting Red Deer Irrigation. They plowed a line in for us about 5 years ago. It is about 15-18 inches deep and we ran the line nearly a mile with risers for a tap about 200' apart. They come in the fall and blow the line out before freeze-up. It has worked well for us as we split the quarter in half and ran the fence over top so we can graze from both sides. Good -luck.

[hgb]

Get a hold of Alberta Agricultural Water Spacialist, Bob Buchanan. He has extemely good knowledge and rescources to help set up a system to meet your needs. email bob.g.buchanan@gov.ab.ca or call 780-986-8985

[cowman]

Thanks all. I had contacted Red Deer irrigation and another local company Instant Rain.
I have seen articles on the equipment that they use to plow in water lines. Unfortunately my municipality doesn't believe in owning any rental equipment to speak of and the PFRA is pretty well useless out here. I'll probably go with "Instant Rain" as I know the owner and he was the cheapest.

[laxdal]

Last summer I went on a tour with Foothills Forage Co-op up in your neck of the woods and one of the farms we visited had made up their own plough for this sort of thing.
It mounted on a 3-pt hitch, and made a shallow trench with the spool of pipe mounted above unrolling into the trench just behind the shovel. There was another fellow on the tour who had the same type of outfit and did coustom work with it. Maybe try getting ahold of Foothills Forage Co-op @ www.foothillsforage.com.