Africa is home to some of the world’s fastest-growing agricultural markets, and the country of Zambia is a shining example. Fertile soil, a temperate climate, and abundant land make Zambia’s Mkushi farming block an ideal location for growing crops.

Despite these advantages, the area’s annual rainfall isn’t enough to meet the demands of commercial farming. The rainy season from November to April is followed by a dry season from May to September, when almost no rainfall occurs. To meet these challenges head-on, Rockridge Family Farm installed the mighty Supergator™, the world’s tallest pivot, on its sprawling acres.

“Water is life out here,” says Dean Moreland, farm manager for Rockridge Family Farm, in an interview with ProAgri. “If you want to farm at scale in Mkushi, you have to be smart about how you manage every drop of water.” With the Supergator, Moreland and his farm are prepared to do just that.

New Crops, New Irrigation Challenges

Rockridge Family Farm in central Zambia has been in Moreland’s family since 1956, primarily growing wheat, maize, and soybeans. Now, Moreland is guiding the farm to new levels of innovation and expanding into new crops. Under his guidance, the farm recently began growing bananas, but he quickly realized that expansion would also present some unique challenges.

In years past, the farm relied on labor-intensive methods of irrigation and fertigation to provide water to its crops. To continue its growth, the farm needed a scalable solution that could provide critical irrigation to taller crops without increasing labor costs.

Reaching New Heights With Reinke Pivots

Moreland discovered that pivot irrigation provided the perfect solution for the farm’s needs. It requires less maintenance, has lower labor costs, and still gives the farm precise control over irrigation. By using pivot irrigation, the team could pursue new growth opportunities, including growing bananas.

But only one company in the world makes pivots tall enough to pass over banana plants. With its 20-foot towering spans and durable design, the Reinke Supergator was up to the challenge. Darin Neff, Senior Lead Mechanical Engineer at Reinke, explains what led Reinke to develop the tallest pivot in the world.

“In 2016, we were asked if we could make a system that would achieve a 20-foot crop clearance,” he says. “This was to reduce the labor associated with solid set sprinklers. The Supergator met the criteria of Rockridge Family Farm.”

The Supergator’s robust engineering supports both long spans and the height clearance needed for tall crops. It’s versatile enough to irrigate many types of crops, giving Rockridge Family Farm the option to continue innovating and move to other crops in the future without purchasing a new pivot system.

Teamwork and Innovation Overcome Design Challenges

Designing the Supergator was a collaborative feat of engineering between the Engineering and the Tech Services teams at Reinke. Neff, the lead designer for the Supergator, explains some challenges the team faced during the design process.

“Finding the right component for the tower legs was most challenging,” he says. The team used components from other systems, strategically designing and testing each combination to ensure a strong, durable design throughout the system while keeping costs low for customers. “Reusing components from model to model increases the value to the end user. The volume of those components is higher, so we can leverage that rather than making a few special parts.”

“It is important to note the extensive testing and the amount of effort so many people contributed to this project,” Neff continues. “We built many prototypes, filled them with water, then pulled, twisted, and tipped them to validate their abilities.”

Today, Rockridge Family Farm is the proud owner of the tallest pivot in the world. Its new Supergator reaches over 20 feet above the ground, has nine towers spanning over 1,600 feet, and irrigates over 185 acres. This is the first Supergator installed on African soil and represents a feat of engineering while holding the promise of future growth.

Reinke’s team supported Rockridge Family Farm from the initial planning phase all the way through installation. Every component was delivered on time, and the entire system was successfully installed in less than two weeks, despite facing significant installation challenges.

Usually, the Supergator is installed on a 14-foot center. However, “Rockridge Family Farm needed the full 20-foot clearance for the entire system, including near the pivot center,” Neff explains. “Building a block building with the precise height, size, and strength to anchor a Supergator in place is no small feat, but in this instance, it was critical since everything related to the system (water, electrical, and stability) starts at the pivot center.” Working together, the team successfully installed the entire system at the height Rockridge Family Farm needed.

Reinke: Partner for the Long Haul

Now, Rockridge Family Farm is positioned for long-term growth. Its new pivot will have a significant impact on operations and long-term profitability. Sprinklers can be raised or lowered to accommodate different crop heights, and the pivot system will allow Rockridge Family Farm to continue making the best use of every drop of water while still giving crops what they need, when they need it, just like all of Reinke’s systems.

“Center pivots have been an amazing innovation in irrigation,” Neff says. “Reinke Manufacturing is committed to making reliable products for producers. Our goal is to make our products extremely reliable and easy to use so growers can focus on other parts of their operation.”

Since Reinke was established in 1954, there have been drastic changes in farm practices and equipment. “Reinke continues to evolve with its growers because the heart of the Reinke family is also producers,” says Neff. “If you grow onions and strawberries we can offer you a low-profile system with five feet of clearance. Maybe you’re a corn producer in the Midwest. Our flagship model with a nine-foot clearance is perfect. If sugarcane is your forte, no problem. We have a pivot with 14 feet of clearance that will take care of the job. Lastly, if you help supply bananas for the world, we have a solution for that too… the Supergator.”

Growers around the globe can count on Reinke for the long haul, with durable pivot designs, thoughtful engineering in every pivot system, and unmatched support before, during, and after installation. With a global network of dealers and a deep commitment to growers, Reinke and its pivots stand apart.

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Visit Reinke.com or find a dealer to learn more about how pivot irrigation can transform your operation.

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