Potatoes on sandy soil at over 60 degrees northern latitude? Yes, it’s true. Thanks to Linestar in the largest “potato community” in Norway.
One thing first: We are not talking here of a broad North American corn field or an expansive Ukrainian wheat plantation. No, this is a potato field in Norway, specifically one located at over 60 degrees latitude. Not only is it far in the north of Scandinavia, it is also irrigated with the first linear system from Bauer located so close to the Arctic Circle. We find ourselves at Grinder Gård, a farm roughly two hours drive north of Oslo in the town of Grinder. It is the largest potato-cultivating community in Norway. Roughly 40 percent of all Norwegian potatoes are grown here.
The field in question, belonging to the young farmer Andreas Bakken, stretches along the Glomma river for 1,800 meters and is roughly 220 meters wide at the narrowest point. Bakken is justifiably proud of his success and especially of the near linear system from Bauer, which has made a harvest possible here for the first time: His Linestar has three spans, and each is 60 meters long. The overhang and the end gun cover another 30 to 40 meters. This year, the system was used to irrigate an area of roughly 35 hectares with three different crops: barley, potatoes and grass.
The size of the farm is 230 hectares, which is quite large for Norwegian standards. Primarily potatoes and carrots are grown here, and the sandy soil in Norway only yields a harvest if it is irrigated. However, the farmer must measure the water dose carefully, especially in sandy soil: If you wish to retain nitrates and phosphorous in the soil, you can't irrigate too much.
In addition to the Linestar, Andreas Bakken also has five other hose reel irrigation machines. The main reason he invests in linear systems from Bauer is the time savings since the operation of a hose reel machine is significantly more work. But the fine droplet shape and the distribution close to the plants have a major impact on the growth and condition of the plants. Not only are the fine droplets gentle on the plants, they are also extremely important for sandy soils in order that the ground can receive the water well, rather than allowing it to drain off the surface of the potato mounds. It is necessary for potatoes in particular to observe the right time, duration and precise quantity of irrigation to produce a good harvest. The linear system perfectly meets all of these requirements, and Andreas Bakken is confident that he can further improve his yield this year with the right irrigation!
