Futuristic Farming

By Roland Piquepaille

From computers monitoring plant population and seed placement to milking robots, and from GPS receivers enabling farmers to map their fields and track their cows, the farming world is using more and more high-technology tools, at least in developed countries. The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review attended Ag Progress Days 2004, a three-day event sponsored by Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences and reports on these technological advances in farming. This long article also mentions robotic transplanters to deliver seeds and high tunnel vegetable production to extend the growing season, a technology which doesn't involve electrical services or heating systems, to the point it has been adopted by a group of Amish growers. Read more...

Here are the opening paragraphs of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review story.

From seeds developed through biotechnology to "eye in the sky" cameras pinpointing irrigation or pesticide needs, the world of agriculture has come a long way from a man, a horse and a bag of seed.

Farmers overseeing their fields and barns via computer monitor no longer is a far-fetched notion. Remote control, robotics and computers all are becoming involved in the tasks of planting seeds, feeding livestock and irrigating fields.

You have to read the full article, because I just want to focus here on the high tunnel vegetable production.

For example, what do you think of this lettuce grown in a high tunnel vegetable production? (Credit: Center for Plasticulture at Penn State)

Now, let's return to the original article for some explanations.

Another new technique in farming is high tunnel production, which several area extension agents described as basically a hybrid of a plastic covered greenhouse. Its benefit is an extension of the growing season, particularly for high cash value crops.

Generally Quonset-shaped [i.e. like huts], the tunnels are constructed of metal bows and metal posts. In addition to providing frost protection, they can elevate temperatures significantly enough to increase planting harvesting times.

The tunnels have water service for crop irrigation, but no electrical service or heating system. Ventilation is provided by rolling up the plastic sides.

In Somerset County, a group of Amish growers have put the high tunnels to use. Miguel Saviroff, extension educator with the Somerset County Cooperative Extension Agency, said the group grows tomatoes, cabbages, other vegetables and flowers.

For more details on how using these plastic tunnels to grow vegetables or small fruits can extend the growing season to almost 12 months, please read this paper, "Design and Construction of the Penn State High Tunnel" (PDF format, 7 pages, 299 KB).

And for more information about how technology is entering the world of agriculture, you might want to read two former entries, "Robots That Milk Cows?" or "Wi-Fi 'Smart Collars' For Networked Cows."

Sources: Mary Pickels, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, September 5, 2004; and various Penn State University web pages