Evan Roberts, Dirtech, with one of his CropX probes. (Submitted photo)
As a Sidney, graduate, Evan Roberts is no stranger to the sight of pivots in the fields of the area. While Evan graduated with a degree from MSU Billings College of Technology, he has been working with pivots for the last 15 years. Evan owns and operates Dirtech, a soil moisture monitoring business, based in Fairview, servicing Eastern Montana and Western North Dakota.
Evan's goal is to give growers the ability to make informed irrigation decisions from the information that the moisture probes send directly to their cell phones, which he assists in setting up and translating. Every rotation saved by knowing the soil's exact moisture content saves water, electricity, time, and money. With a glance at their CropX app, the brand of the probes and accompanying technology, producers can direct themselves or hired hands efficiently to the pivots that need operated and know exactly how much water to deliver onto their fields for that irrigation. Plants need soil, water, fertilizer, and sun. With the information from the probes, you can take one major aspect out of that equation and know with confidence that you did the watering part right. Both over-watering and under-watering can dramatically affect yield, disease, and fertilizer loss.
The moisture probes report temperature, moisture, and salts at three different levels which meets the NRCS (National Resources Conservation Service) requirements for cost share programs. Evan is working with the area NRCS offices and can provide direct reporting straight to them to simplify the process.
Many local growers are in the process of learning a new-to-them crop with the recent loss of Sidney Sugars and the sugar beet market for our area. Corn and soy have requirements that differ, and while producers are more than capable in their ability to farm and adapt, the probes can offer a secret weapon in answering questions of how they can get the best out of their fields.
Leasing services include probe installation, setup, software and telemetry subscription, support for the growing season, and extraction come harvest time all for one low price. Contact Evan at 406-480-0051 or [email protected].
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