5 Great Apps For Farmers

 
Guest post presented by Charles Sipe, and written by James Madeiros for Seametrics

The pastoral image of a farmer clad in coveralls while tending to morning duties is still accurate in many regards; however, these days one of the pockets in those coveralls likely contains a smartphone.

Agribusiness is an industry that merges ancient skills with advanced technology, and the modern farming community is fast becoming more comfortable with utilizing every tool at its disposal to refine production methods – including using apps.

Below we take a look at five FREE apps that can help farmers make the most of their workday.


1. DuPont Tank Mix Calculator (free)
Farmers know that mixing chemicals in the proper proportions is vital to the success of a crop. Large farming operations rely on several different blends of products to protect crops against infestation, increase the strength of roots and enhance soil nutrients.

The Tank Mix Calculator can calculate how much product is needed based on product type, field size, tank size and other metrics. It provides several different units of measure and allows users to enter values in fractions or decimals to ensure the right volume-to-volume ratio is achieved.


2. WeatherBug (free)
Weather is obviously a critical factor in crop maintenance. Accurate and detailed weather information can make the difference between a winning yield and a field in the red, and WeatherBug is a great free app that provides a wide range of weather data.

WeatherBug is available for Android, iPhone and Blackberry, and delivers live up-to-date weather conditions and forecasts. It also provides detailed radar maps with a zoom feature and on-the-spot temperature, precipitation and wind speed/direction data.


3. Bubble (free)
The Bubble level app is very useful for farmers who have frequent build projects on their farms. Bubble is so handy farmers may find themselves using it when they would otherwise “eyeball” a project, resulting in a better, more long-lasting build.

There are several versions of Bubble level available across all platforms, and the main feature of note is that any side of a smartphone can be used as a level, so horizontal and vertical leveling can be accomplished with ease. Other key features include a display of the angle value and multiple background colors to improve visibility.


4. AgWired (free)
Information is power in any industry, and AgWired provides a direct line to what’s happening across the agribusiness community. The app is useful for anyone in the agricultural industry who wants to keep up on the latest news – for free.

News for AgWired is provided via the ZimmComm News Network, the organization responsible for bringing “agriblogging” and farm podcasting into the mainstream. Whether farmers are looking for developments in the dairy industry or the newest alternative energy products, AgWired delivers.



5. Target Date Lite (free)
Timing is everything in agriculture and Target Date is a fast, simple way to calculate the time between two dates. It can be a useful tool for asking when a crop will be ready for harvest from the current date, or for finding out an exact date in the future after so many days/weeks/months.

 Target Date is available without ads for a small price ($1.99), but the Lite version is still useful for quick date calculations.

Remember …

There are dozens, perhaps hundreds, of smartphone applications available that can be useful in operating a farm, and often it comes down to the ingenuity of the farmer in her/his ability to apply the technology to specific needs. Keeping an eye out for new apps with a mind toward how they can improve efficiency is a great way to make work easier without spending a dime!

James Madeiros writes for Seametrics, a manufacturer of water flow meters that help farmers measure and conserve water used in irrigation.