Precision farming in action: the impact of BBLeap on Knud’s farms
Managing over 12,000 hectares of farmland, divided across multiple locations, is no small feat. Knud’s farms, called Nymann Strathaven and home to crops such as canola, wheat, barley, and lupins, face the typical challenges of large-scale agriculture: ensuring efficiency, reducing waste, and maintaining consistent crop health. These challenges are compounded by unpredictable weather and the sheer size of the operation, requiring solutions that are both practical and reliable. To meet these demands, the team introduced BBLeap on three of their sprayers. Adam and Trevor, two operators managing these vast fields, shared their experiences with the system, offering insight into its impact on day-to-day farming practices and how it has addressed longstanding inefficiencies in crop spraying.
“The biggest problem was the overlap, especially when you’re turning. You ended up with dead patches in the paddocks. The BBLeap system just doesn’t do the overlap. You can just sit there and drive the machine.” – Trevor (spray operator)
Farm Facts Nymann Strathaven
Location: Gnowangerup, WA, Australia
Owner: Knud Nymann
Operators: Adam and Trevor
BBLeap user since: 2022
Crops: Canola, wheat, barley, and lupins
Hectares: 12,000
Functionalities: Leapbox
Sprayer: Retrofit; 2x Agrifac, 1x Sonic
Challenges in large-scale spraying operations
Spraying on large farms has historically been fraught with inefficiencies. Inaccuracies such as overlap and time-consuming manual tasks were common challenges. Trevor, who manages one of Knud’s farms, recalled the limitations of older systems: “The biggest problem was the overlap, especially when you’re turning. You ended up with dead patches in the paddocks. The BBLeap system just doesn’t do the overlap. You can just sit there and drive the machine.”
Adam, another operator on a different farm, highlighted the operational inefficiencies of previous systems: “Cleaning the boom out used to take 15 minutes. Now, with BBLeap, it’s two minutes with just the press of a button.” Additionally, weather conditions like wind posed a significant hurdle. “The biggest challenge is the weather for the spraying, having the right conditions to spray. Too hot, too cold, too windy, too windy, too windy, “ Trevor laughed. “Down here it’s most of the time too windy,” he added. These challenges underscored the need for a smarter, easier, and more reliable solution.
Outside boom vs. inside boom in corners
“Another advantage? Just simplicity. It saves thinking, which means I can put anyone in the driver’s seat. The computer is actually doing half of the job for the driver and the driver just has to point the sprayer in the right direction.” – Trevor (spray operator)
Why BBLeap?
Knud’s decision to retrofit existing sprayers with BBLeap technology was driven by practicality and innovation. As Adam explained: “We basically took the frame that was capable of doing so many hectares and then put a system on that can keep up with today’s technology. It applies like a brand new sprayer and we already know the ins and outs of the frame and how it drives.
We just wanted something reliable, operator friendly and simple. BBLeap is way more precise and you can see that out in the paddocks.” BBLeap’s standout feature is its precision, which has reduced chemical waste. Adam described the system’s efficiency: “You’re not double-spraying anything anymore. The overlap is next to nothing and you get a little bit more out of the tank. So it also saves chemicals in that regard.”
Trevor agreed, emphasizing its impact on crop quality: “It turns itself on and off and does whatever it needs to do to guarantee 100% coverage, which is what I’m after. And it just makes it so much more accurate. You can see the difference in the crops as well. You’re only spraying what hasn’t been sprayed yet.”
Operator friendliness
The system’s simplicity has also been a game-changer for operators. Trevor explained: “Another advantage? Just simplicity. It saves thinking, which means I can put anyone in the driver’s seat. The computer is actually doing half of the job for the driver and the driver just has to point the sprayer in the right direction.”
He laughs: “Just sit on the sprayer and don’t run into things.” Adam echoed this sentiment, praising the system’s seamless integration with modern tractors: “The biggest benefit is its operator friendliness. It’s just more reliable and there’s less stuff going on for the operator. Just the fact you can go out spraying all day and you don’t have a drama with the technology side of things.” This ease of use has been particularly valuable on Knud’s expansive farms, where covering large areas efficiently is essential.
“The biggest benefit is its operator friendliness. It’s just more reliable and there’s less stuff going on for the operator. Just the fact you can go out spraying all day and you don’t have a drama with the technology side of things.”
Adapting to weather challenges
The benefits of BBLeap extend beyond ease of use. Its precision and adaptability have had a tangible impact on Knud’s farms. BBLeap’s ability to adjust droplet sizes also helps operators navigate challenging weather conditions. “The BBLeap system helps with that since we can change the droplet size. If it’s windy, I can easily adjust the droplet size to prevent drift. It means we can just go when the weather’s good, we can achieve what we need to achieve. And when I’m coming near neighbours’ crops and stuff like that, I can do exactly the same thing through adjusting the droplet size,” Trevor explained. This feature allows spraying to continue in less-than-ideal conditions, reducing downtime and ensuring timely applications.
Saving chemicals
Using BBLeap has not only streamlined operations but also improved resource efficiency on Knud’s farms. The impact on chemical usage has been clear. “We’re using less chemicals. You dont have any overlapping issues. It saves us chemicals because it is able to precisely cover a paddock,” he explained. The challenges with the wind are also tackled.
“BBLeap made it easier, more precise, and has reduced chemical use,” Adam emphasized, highlighting BBLeap’s ability to combine speed with accuracy.
No overlapping issues in corners
Transforming agriculture with BBLeap
BBLeap has proven to be more than just a technological upgrade; it’s a transformative solution for Knud’s farms. By addressing long-standing inefficiencies and simplifying complex processes, the system has enhanced productivity, reduced costs, and minimized environmental impact.
For operators like Adam and Trevor, BBLeap has redefined what’s possible in large-scale spraying. As Trevor put it: “It does its job, spraying, operating, taking pressure off the operator, taking pressure of me, because I know the system is doing its job. That’s all we can ask for.” And Adam’s experiences with the system? “Extremely user-friendly, precise and simple to maintain and deal with as an operator. It just makes sense,” Adam emphasised.
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