Irrigation Expansion & Upgrade

CURRENT AS OF 1/12/24 10:15 AM

WOOHOO! SUCCESS!

WE REACHED OUR $32K GOAL

THANK YOU!

We went out on a limb to seize this critical opportunity and, once again, our community stepped up to help us leverage the SJICD’s cost-share program and cross the finish line.

It is truly remarkable that New Hannah Farm can grow and improve through direct community support — and funding from the SJI Conservation District (which is contributing $50K to this project).

To each of you who cheered us on, spread the word, and contributed (ANY amount), know that we couldn’t have done this without you!

We have been floored by your generosity and support. Thanks to you, we can make this substantial step towards growing more food with long-term sustainability and resilience.

Setting the Stage for Success in 2024 and Beyond

In 2023, we officially outgrew the capacity of our irrigation system (installed back in 2018). The inefficiency of our outdated controllers and undersized pipe have resulted in wasted resources and stressed crops — not to mention stressed farmers! However, there is a solution.

We’ve been presented with an opportunity to expand and upgrade all existing pipe and install a cutting-edge irrigation controller to conserve our water AND optimize crop health!

The total cost of the project is $82K, and the San Juan Islands Conservation District will be contributing $50K towards this project via their cost-share program. We have secured a bridge loan, and we will need to fundraise the remainder ($32K).

Our distributor has generously offered to order the Baseline system from the manufacturer (prior to their December price-increase) and defer payment until 1/15/24 to provide us with more time to fundraise.

Over the years, we have been working hard — really hard — to meet our farm’s ultimate potential to feed our island. We’ve come so far, and there’s still SO much we hope to achieve! Completing this project will have a fundamental impact on the viability of our farm as we grapple with climate change and implement regenerative practices.

"[T]his is definitely a practice we would like to support, as it lines up quite nicely with one of our [Voluntary Stewardship Program] goals, to protect critical aquifer recharge areas. This specific unit would definitely be a first for us, but as we discussed, the projects happening at New Hannah Farm are important in setting the stage and modeling best management around the county."
— Pauline Chiquet (Conservation Planner at the SJICD)

An efficient irrigation system is vital for our farm's success, directly impacting crop growth, taste, yield, and overall produce quality. The farm benefits from a robust well, as per the 1977 report indicating a solid 60 GPM. Water quality tests conducted in May 2023 affirmed excellent water quality. Given the substantial water demands for crop irrigation, maximizing system efficiency is paramount to ensure optimal water usage.
In 2022, we transitioned from using drip tape to pressure-compensating drip tubing with great results.
The Bottleneck
As our farm has quickly expanded, our irrigation system (originally installed in early 2018) has struggled to maintain adequate pressure and flow, resulting in inconsistent and insufficient water supply to our crops.
Our current setup consists of multiple controllers, which tend to compete for flow and pressure — despite our effort to stagger program schedules. The inadequate and uneven watering would often lead to subpar produce quality and, in some cases, total crop failure.
Climate Change
Current climate modeling predicts a longer period between the end of the late winter recharge and the start of the next recharge season, requiring a finite water quantity to be stretched further during drier summers.

Extended dry seasons due to climate change will demand stretching limited water resources further in drier summers, posing challenges for island water systems. Even a two-week extension to the current 15-week dry season would necessitate making available water last 13% longer.
Increasing Flow & Pressure (Plumbing)
To resolve the flow/pressure issues for current and future production, 2” pipe will be used to replace all 1” and 1 1/4” pipe. This will allow us to meet the “minimum operation pressure” of our irrigation components.

Optimizing Water Efficiency
Our Weathermatic controllers will be replaced by a single “Baseline” network. The Baseline system is known for its high-tech, cutting-edge irrigation technology and design emphasizing water efficiency and dynamic programming. Unlike our current controllers, Baseline will automatically regulate flow and pressure. 70 moisture sensors will also be used to ensure that crops are only receiving water when they need it — no more, no less.

Data Collection for Future Management
If we don’t have access to enough data about our water usage, we can’t make informed decisions about how we plan for the future. With Baseline’s management web app, we will not only have access to general data but also metrics for specific parts of the system.

Planning for Climate Resilience (Future-Proofing)
We must do everything we can to protect our aquifers and use water as carefully as possible — and sophisticated technology, such as Baseline, can help us do that. The upfront cost may be substantial but, as extreme climate events become more frequent, can we afford to kick this down the road?

Infrastructure That Benefits Other Important Projects
Upgrading our irrigation system means that we can move ahead with other important projects without being locked into an outdated system. Here are projects that will benefit from our new irrigation.

- Movable High Tunnels
- No-Till Production
- Compost Facility
- Nursery Expansion & Upgrade

Support from the SJICD
The San Juan Islands Conservation District is eager to support us with their 75% cost share, which caps at $50,000 — we have already reached this cap. Our project was approved in mid-October. Thanks to the SJICD, we will only need to raise $32,000 to install this amazing system.
Site Preparation

- Ditcher rental (1 month + round trip transport + fuel): $1,500
- Electrical + Internet Hookup: $500

Baseline System
- Basestation, Substations, pressure sensor, flow sensor, moisture sensors: $65,600

Plumbing
- Pipe, fittings, valves, etc. (including freight): $7,900

General
- Labor, master manifold housing: $6,500