Irrigating Western
North Dakota
For David and Monica Hartsoch, irrigation
changed their lives. "Absolutely, without a doubt," Monica says.
The Hartsoch's farm lies in the Nesson Valley east of
Williston. "We have an aquifer that
flows under the valley and soil that is suitable for
irrigation," David says.
David's father Verland, at age 82, is still active in
farming. "He just stacked about 100 hay bales so they could be
moved," David says. "My son Klint is also active in our operation. We
started irrigating back in 1981 with one pivot but now have four
pivots, counting the one Klint just installed. Irrigation seemed like the
answer we needed to raise our own cattle feed."
In a joint venture, a 160-acre research site is being
established in the valley. The research is being conducted by the NDSU
Research Extension Center in Williston, and the Montana State
University Eastern Agricultural Research Center and the USDA Northern
Plains Agricultural Research Laboratory, both located in Sidney, Mont.
"Between us, we can deliver applied and basic research on
any crop grown here. We can cover production, management and
technology," says Jerry Bergman, director of the NDSU and
Montana State University centers.
Researchers are working with producers and other
organizations to increase the use of irrigation. "Irrigation gives us options
as to what crops are grown in the region," Bergman says. "As the
use of irrigation grows, it also provides us with opportunities to look
at value-added possibilities."
 The Hartsochs have irrigated small grains, potatoes,
sugarbeets, beans, sudan grass, millet and alfalfa. "We're excited about
alfalfa because of the new alfalfa processing plant in Tioga," David
says. The plant will process the alfalfa into double compressed bales
or cubes that will be sent to markets throughout the country and
to Pacific Rim countries.
"I think we're going to see more emphasis placed on
alfalfa because of the new plant," says Chet Hill, NDSU Extension
Service value-added agriculture specialist in Williston. "If we can get
the price up around $75 a ton and averages somewhere in the
six-ton range, it will be our most profitable crop.
"We'll have educational opportunities in alfalfa
management, planting, harvesting and finding the best quality product that
the plant in Tioga is requesting. That will be in addition to all the
other irrigation and dryland research we do."
That other research has meant a lot to Monica Hartsoch.
Monica and her partners started raising vegetables using the
corners of the irrigation system. Pipe was trenched in so the
vegetables could be watered. "We tapped into the expertise of Ron Smith,
NDSU horticulturist; the irrigation specialist in Carrington; and
the Extension Service in Williston," she says.
They sold their products at a roadside market. "We had
around 100 people lined up every Saturday morning. We did that for
about three years before we went to growing commercially."
They developed a homemade ranch dressing that
customers could use to taste-test vegetables at the roadside market.
"People really liked it and wanted to buy the dressing," according to
Monica. "From there, we moved on to soup mixes and other products
under the Thunderbird brand name."
As sales increased, they needed to find a commercial kitchen
to increase production, which meant a possible large investment.
"We visited the Williston Research Extension Center and noticed
the kitchen in the Ernie French Center," Monica says. "It was an
ideal setup for us. We used the facility for almost a year before we
outgrew it." Monica now works out of a facility in Ray.
The Ernie French Center, named for the former WREC superintendent, was recently built as a regional agricultural
technology transfer facility.
Monica and her partners no longer raise their own
vegetables so they can keep up with increasing sales of their other products.
Increasing indeed. Thunderbird products are now sold in
eight states. The company produces five soup mixes, two quick
breads, and 11 dips and rubs. "We try to use North Dakota products as
much as we can," Monica says. "Our lentils come from Ray, the
barley from Grand Forks and the pasta from Carrington."
For more information: Jerry Bergman,
701-774-4315, expwill@ndsuext.nodak.edu |
