Making Every Drop Count (and Pay) in your Alfalfa Fields Paul KehmeierEckert, Colorado

The Great

Alfalfa Wimpiness

Trial

Here’s AnAmazing Survival Story:

Spring of 2013

Bottom line: You probably are not going to loose your alfalfa.

What I’m going to do on our farm this year if we are short of water.

Getting more alfalfa for each drop

of water

Can I get more alfalfa if I:

1) water my alfalfa sparingly so that the alfalfa will use what water it gets more efficiently?

2) give my alfalfa lots of water so that I’m not just supplying the plant’s basic maintenance needs?

NopeThe relationship between water added and the amount of alfalfa growth is linear.

Give your alfalfa plant water and it will grow. Don’t give your alfalfa plant water and it will still stay alive. (for a good, long while)

Okay then, how about if I make every drop count by cutting down evapotranspiration. I could:

1) irrigate only at night. 2) raise hay only in the spring when it is cooler. 3) forget spring and its wind and raise hay only in the fall.4) move to Gunnison. It has snowed every month of the year there.

Yes,You might save a bit of water on evapotranspiraton if you irrigate only part of the summer.

But,Would that make financial sense?

Here is where we enter the mysterious world of

ECONOMICS

How can I get more water?(legally)

Buy it Lease water on a year to year basis Buy water rights permanentlyBuy technology for the water you have. There is a bunch of technology out there.

How do I decide between more water or more technology?

(Funny story about a visit to the center pivot sprinkler dealer.)

Let’s head back to the crop enterprise budget.

Here is where we enter the mysterious world of

GOVERNMENT WATER

ASSISTANCE