I have the problem that winter crops always get too much water.. this is since the crop of some strange reason is affected by rain etc during the winter. Usually the crop is dormant during the cold period and should thus not be affected during the winter (and not grow either). Grass does not grow, but everything else grows in winter. Very strange.

But good for you that you seem to be doing ok. But you will probably go over optimum before harvest, right?

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Contract grower for the US server - Message me if you would like to have a supply deal for your livestock!

True that, crops should stop growing (Or atleast grow slower) during winter, and Rain should be called Snow and not add up on the plumomamfm the rainmeter

I always do

Hi people

We gonna add a new irrigation system. We hope it will help.

Excellent, thanks for the feedback

Great news bud!

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He who dares, wins!

oh fabulous news on the new irrigation system. I've been holding off doing any irrigating at all because I've seen so many people complaining about it being useless!

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Falconstone Farms - Ohio-based farm specializing in Angora goats.

How nice!! Looking forward!!

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Contract grower for the US server - Message me if you would like to have a supply deal for your livestock!

On the topic, I know there is a thread on the french forum on center pivot systems. If you now redo the system maybe this could be implemented:

http://www.irrifrance.com/anglais/produits/rampes/index.html?contenu=sommaire.html

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Contract grower for the US server - Message me if you would like to have a supply deal for your livestock!

so, when will we know more about the new irrigation system?

Very soon

I have a Center Pivot, Spray Line and Irrigation Drum. The game won't let me use the Center Pivot and Spray Line because the only choice I have is the Irrigation Drum. Is there something I must do first to use the Center Pivot/Spray Line?

Irrigation basics;

1. You cannot install both drum and pivot/spray-lines on the same field. That is, if you have a drum on the field you cannot install a center pivot and vice versa.

2. You need a spring on the field or a river with a pond in a field in the same zone as the field you wish to irrigate. If you haven't got a spring or river access there is no way to get water for irrigation.

3. The drum you install either by going to the field you want to irrigate and choose "install drum", or you click on the water symbol next to the irrigation drum and then choose what field to install it on.

4. The center pivot must be installed from the equipments tab by clicking the symbol next to the name of the equipment. When clicking this a similar window as that when you install a drum/reel is opened and you choose which field you wish to install the pivot on.

It will then take 3 days to install it and when finished you will need to istall the amount of ramps (spray-lines) that is needed to complete the center pivot system.

When all this is done you can program the center pivot to provide between 0-24 mm of water per day, (given that you have enough capacity in your spring/river).

Hope that answers your question.

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Contract grower for the US server - Message me if you would like to have a supply deal for your livestock!

Why does my culture choice only include soybeans and sunflower even though I want to plant potatoes or sugarbeets but that choice don't come up.

1. You cannot plant it this year, but i think the option would still be there (picture wise) but you can't choose it.

2. That area can't grow SB or P

Thank you.
1. The picture is not there
2. How can I tell if the crops can be grown there?

Go to the main page, click on game rules on the left hand side tool bar.

At the top of the page click on the 'here' button to change to Canada/USA rules.

Then under cultures menu you have 5 menus which show the yield per area. Then simply find the state you need and look at each column of food type. If it has a yield it can be grown, if no yield it can't be grown.

Texas can't grow SB but it can grow P.

How can I program the center pivot as I don't see anyway to do it.

Have you installed it correctly? That is, have you finished the assembly of the spray lines?

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Contract grower for the US server - Message me if you would like to have a supply deal for your livestock!

Budgeting question:

Central pivot costs 10,000. How much per hectare does it cost to install spray lines?

That depends on plot size.

Pivot system considers that the field is a circle so that the spray line total length will be r^2 * π = areal, where r is the radius, i.e. the length of the spray line.

I see that you have a 20 hc plot that gives the following;

20 hc = 200 000 m2 = r^2 * π

r^2 = 200000/π

r = 252 meter = 5 spray lines.. (or 6 lines if the program considers that th two meters above 250 needs one more line installed..)

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Contract grower for the US server - Message me if you would like to have a supply deal for your livestock!

Thanks, that helps. But how much money does each spray line cost?

Go to equipment page and on the left "look for an equipment" find spray line..

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Contract grower for the US server - Message me if you would like to have a supply deal for your livestock!

Sorry, didn't realize it was a separately listed piece of equipment.

So for a 20h plot, $10,000 for a central pivot plus $25,000 for (at least) five spray lines at $5,000 a piece, adds up to $35,000 to set your field up for irrigation. That's a little more than half the price of the field itself.

What is the feeling people have? Is it worth it (especially compared to other investments)?

In the short run it is better to buy more land - that is a better investment. In te long run it could be a good investment. That depends on if you can supply your plot with enough water to get to optimum before harvest. if you have a +150 hc plot that will be hard.

When harvesting plots you get a randomized bonus on the following:

-Sun is on optimum
-water is on optimum
-predicted harvest day is the day of harvest (you are penalized if you harvest to soon or to late to try to achive optimum).

The level of growth does not seem to correlate to yield or quality directly. However, there seems to be thresholds for growth when the chance of obtaining a better yield is increased. These thresholds seems to be at 75%, 85%, 90%, (maybe 95%?) and +100%. However +100% growth does not necessarily mean that yield will be higher than for growth of 75%.

In any event irrigation needs are correlated to the climate where your fields are, thus if it is raining a lot, the need will be lower. You also need to have some crops that have a high return which would benefit a lot from irrigation to make it a good deal (potatoes/sugarbeets on the pacific coast). If you only grow small grains like barley and wheat it will be hard to get the investment back in a few years..

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Contract grower for the US server - Message me if you would like to have a supply deal for your livestock!

“What is the feeling people have? Is it worth it (especially compared to other investments)?”
Just think of irrigation as broken, use your money to buy plots in Washington or Oregon look in only those two states and grow potatoes and your SB quota. If you want a 3rd state in CA you can grow green beans too. Don’t worry about irrigation until you have more money than you know what to do with.