Jim Martin, beloved husband, father, and grandfather, passed away on January 17, 2022. Jim was born May 13, 1943, to Kenneth and Bonnie Martin and was raised in Madera, CA. He graduated from Madera High School and California State University Fresno. He married his high school sweetheart, Jeannette Alves, in 1963. Jim began his lifelong career in agriculture, working with …
As of October 19, 2021, CDFA SWEEP is back and will disperse between $43 and $45 million to California agricultural operations investing in irrigation systems that reduce GHG emissions and save water. In addition to SWEEP Grants, Cal-West Rain and Polaris Energy Services are excited to bring you additional opportunities to reduce the cost of irrigation automation projects and earn …
Now that the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) has come into effect in some of California’s most overdrawn basins, maintaining accurate water use data is more important than ever. Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) will be required to cap and regulate groundwater use in each basin, meaning ag professionals will be responsible for monitoring and reporting water use, including the use …
The SWEEP proposal period is open as of today, October 19, 2021. The State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program (SWEEP) provides financial assistance in the form of grants to implement irrigation systems that reduce greenhouse gases and save water on California agricultural operations. Eligible System Components (Among Others) Soil moisture monitoring and automation to improve efficiency and reduce water use …
Faced with ongoing challenges and uncertainty, growers across California continually search for ways to reduce costs (labor, water, energy), increase efficiency, and improve crop quality and yields. When it comes to irrigation automation incentives from the utility (PG&E), Polaris Energy Services and Cal-West Rain frequently work together to deploy custom solutions for ag operations across Central California and the Central …
With years of VFD experience, we’ve seen many cases where growers experience costly pump downtime and expensive repairs for not properly protecting their VFD pumps. Conversely, we’ve also seen many cases where downtime and repair costs are avoided through the use of a well-protected VFD panel. With that in mind, this article provides an overview of VFDs and how to …
If you’re farming or ranching in California, you’re likely using Cornell centrifugal pumps or something similar to pressurize irrigation systems and move water. Cornell began manufacturing pumps for agriculture when the company launched in 1946. Since that time, Cornell engineers have continued to make improvements in pump design and function. Today, Cornell’s pumps are known around the world as the …
Although most growers are satisfied with the operation and capabilities of their irrigation automation system, many question the value of the investment. If you’re frustrated or questioning the value of your irrigation automation system, this article is for you. We’ll attempt to review the most common reasons why irrigation automation projects falter and steps you can take to get things …
We frequently get questions about sand media filter maintenance and troubleshooting. This article is intended to help owners and irrigators understand the basics of Flow-Guard Sand Media Filters. As always, if you need assistance please contact the nearest Cal-West Rain branch for filter troubleshooting and maintenance assistance. Our field technicians have years of experience with Flow-Guard filters and they’re available …
After more than 30 years of dedicated service, Cal-West Rain is honored to announce the retirement of Susan Rathbun, effective December 31, 2020. Susan joined the company months after its founding in 1989 and worked behind the scenes supporting the Cal-West Rain sales team by providing irrigation system designs, project materials lists, project scheduling, and more to “keep the wheels …
