Quick Tips for Improving Farming Efficiency

As a homesteader, farming will be at the heart of your daily existence. Sustainable living means operating as efficiently as possible, and so it is a good idea to continuously look for ways to improve your farming efficiency by looking for ways to save energy. Here are a number of quick tips that will help with improving farming efficiency…

Quick Tips For Improving Farming Efficiency

1. Consider doing an on-farm energy audit. This will enable you to discover how efficient your current use of energy is so that you can determine where you can make improvements. Plus, an outside perspective can always be beneficial.
2. Only apply the quantity of irrigation water that is needed for crop growth.
3. Avoid irrigating on days that are windy or hot and sunny.
4. Clean ventilation fans regularly.
5. Maximize the natural ventilation in your barns whenever you can.
6. Regularly flush the sediment from your hot water tank.
7. Make sure water is the right temperature by using a timer on your water heater.
8. Insulate hot water lines.
9. Take some time to find out what water recycling equipment is available and how this can benefit you.
10. Find ways to increase milk production, think about adjusting the lights in your dairy barn if you have one.
11. Use variable speed drives (VSD) on milk and vacuum pumps on your milking equipment.
12. Do some research into the use of shelled corn as a heating fuel to find out whether this is something you could use on your farm.
13. Explore solar energy opportunities; is this something you could use around the farm or farmstead?
14. Look into a biogas digester. The anaerobic digestion of manure can help you by producing green energy while also having the benefit of reducing odor on your farm.
15. Explore the possibility of generating wind energy.
16. Use caulking and weather stripping to seal your windows.
17. Not only should you seal all windows, but it is important to have doors and windows that are tight fitting, to begin with.
18. For all of your equipment and machinery, follow the maintenance schedule that has been recommended by the manufacturer. This will prolong the life of the equipment while ensuring that it runs as efficiently as possible.
19. Make sure that all of the tires on your equipment are properly inflated.
20. The size of implements should be matched to the size of the tractor.
21. Use motion sensors and dimmers on your barn lights.
22. Finally, opt for T-8 fluorescent lighting in your barns. Traditional incandescent lighting is a massive energy drainer.

So there you have it: plenty of different ways that you can improve your farming efficiency. Follow the tips that have been provided above and you are bound to notice a difference to your farming operations. You will be able to achieve more while using less energy. After all using less energy means saving more money!