Sampling scenario

Because the effluent has a high value to the farmer who operates the adjacent cropland, samples are taken of both the effluent and the soil to make sure nutrient needs are matched. Effluent samples are taken at intervals during land application and shipped to a laboratory for testing within 24 hours. Soil samples are taken on a grid system guided by global positioning system (GPS). The fields are divided into approximately 40-acre units, and eight, sub-sample points are taken from within that section. A hydraulic probe samples at 12-, 24- and 36-in. depths.

Windbreak and shelterbelt plantings along with manicured grass lawns give Enterprise Nursery a country club look.

---

Farm Works software is used to input manure and soil test results, as well as generate soil fertility maps to aid in planning future cropping practices. Soil sample results, crop yield goals and agronomic recommendations from the testing laboratory provide input for the soil fertility program and are kept as documentation of manure handling practices.

Technology tools

Some type of hi-tech tool is being used to monitor just about every activity at the Enterprise Nursery site, from pivot operation to fan speeds in individual rooms. A HughesNet satellite system and E-Frame Networking brought high-speed Internet to the nursery offices in 2007. Dicam controllers were also installed, allowing remote monitoring of ventilation, water and feed delivery systems.

GuardianACTION software provides real-time monitoring of each room's environment and provides alarm functions via e-mail, phone call or text messaging to make sure personnel are alerted to fix any problems.

“I can log in from anywhere I can get Internet access and see what's going on in the barns,” says NPP's Burroughs. “It helps me get a handle on what the problem is without having to drive to the site.”

Building relationships

The NPP team also invests in building relationships with the community. It sponsors an internship program, providing young people a chance to experience production agriculture first-hand. Enterprise Nursery also offers a scholarship program for high school students who work at the nursery as a way of encouraging their continuing education.

And there's also the continuing effort to make the land around the site attractive for both the public and the abundant wildlife that makes these Sand Hills home. Planting windbreaks and shelterbelts with both conifers and hardwoods, establishing grass to help hold sand in place against wind erosion and controlling weeds all help build the site's image.

“We see the entire NPP team taking on a sense of ownership and a pride in doing things right,” Burroughs says. “It's that kind of approach that helps build the image of our farms and the pork industry. Ultimately, it's the environment that wins.”