According to American Vegetable Grower’s latest industry survey, more than one-third of respondents plan to use agricultural technology to make their lives easier in 2024. To learn a little more, we interviewed one grower from that 38% to learn how he’s successfully incorporating agricultural technology on his farm.
Meet Kevin Gardner of Gardner Family Farm
“You can simplify farming without technology,” says Kevin Gardner, owner of Gardner Family Farm in Macclesfield, N.C. “Some technology will never pay for itself. We know what we have works, and when we look at our yields, we can see the difference from one year to the next.”
Kevin Gardner, owner of Gardner Family Farm, with his wife Victoria and their two sons, Koben (left) and Kasen (right).
Photo courtesy of Gardner Family Farm
Gardner uses GPS guidance systems, yield monitoring/mapping and automation/robotics for seeding, planting and transplanting, but what is his favourite farming technology?
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“Definitely Climate FieldView,” Gardner says. “All of the record keeping and yield monitoring can be done with that.”
Gardner uses the technology to monitor and measure inputs and visualize key field data, and also utilises John Deere’s GreenStar autopilot technology for width control and increased efficiency when planting and applying inputs.
“GreenStar controls it, and I just sit in the driver’s seat and watch the GPS do its thing,” Gardner says. “We never have to worry about overlaps – the rows are mapped perfectly every time. Seed is expensive and not all crops are in long rows. Swath control accommodates the differences in field geometry. The combination of John Deere autopilot and swath control has been cost-effective and has made our operation much more efficient.”
Gardner Family Farms combines run on John Deere Greenstar and Climate FieldView technology.
Photo courtesy of Gardner Family Farm
About Family Farms
Gardner Family Farm sells to local grocery stores and through Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), and his peppers are sent for processing to wholesalers and to Mount Olive Pickles, whose products also include his cucumbers.
Gardner runs her CSA a little differently: She doesn’t deliver produce, but when an order is placed, she will box up fresh vegetables for collection at the farm.
Throughout our conversation, Gardner’s sons, Kasen, 8, and Koben, 4, occasionally climbed into the cab to ask their dad questions. Life on the farm! So when asked if the two will be the next generation of farmers, Gardner replied, “I hope so. I hope the farm is still here for them.”
The rise of drones/unmanned aerial vehicles
This year’s State of the Vegetable Industry survey revealed that drone and UAV (unmanned aerial vehicles) use has increased by nearly 50% since last year. In anticipation of increased drone use, this year we have split our single drone/UAV category into two: spraying and imaging, reconnaissance and crop protection.
If you use drones or UAVs and want to share with other farmers how they are helping your agricultural business, contact Senior Editor Diane Manson at 012 741 411 to share your story. [email protected].
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Carol Miller is editor in chief of American Vegetable Grower®, a Meister Media Worldwide publication. Find all of her stories here.
