Big Bend Community College provides hands-on experience

By GARNET WILSON

and DENNIS L. CLAY

For the Capital Press

A recent Friday was the culmination of 18 months of work and the beginning of the Mechanized Irrigation System Technology Program at Big Bend Community College in Moses Lake, Wash.

The college, Reinke Manufacturing and Skone Irrigation and Supply Inc. partnered in the program, which will focus on agricultural research and education. Reinke donated most of the cost of the circle while Skone designed, installed and will service the pivot.

The initial idea for the program came from Angela Pixton. She attended the 2009 Washington Potato Conference in Kennewick, Wash., and sat next to Kermit Cochran, a regional representative for Reinke Manufacturing.

"Because my husband, Russ, and I are farmers, the dinner conversation turned to the ever-changing technology involved in farming these days," Pixton said. "Kermit said the local irrigation and supply companies try to provide on-the-job training for those willing to learn how to install, troubleshoot and repair irrigation circles."

The problem comes from employees leaving for another job once the training is complete.

Pixton is also on the Washington State Potato Commission and a trustee of the Big Bend Community College board.

Not long after visiting with Cochran, Pixton attended a BBCC board meeting. The subject turned to a piece of property owned by the college and once used as the local conservation district nursery.

"We were discussing options for the 11 acres sitting fallow and growing nothing but weeds," Pixton said. "Big Bend President Dr. (Bill) Bonaudi stated, 'We need to get water to it ...' and we already knew we had water rights and a well on the property."

Over the next few weeks, a plan developed to use the property for an irrigation training program through the college.

This is where Erik Skone, co-owner of Skone Irrigation, entered the picture. He said it sounded good. Next Cochran was called and asked if Reinke might be interested. They said the idea was plausible.

"I next talked with Dr. Bonaudi and he jumped at the idea," Pixton said.

Thus the Mechanized Irrigation System Technology Program became a reality.

The college invited Valmont, Zimmatic and Reinke to a conference to discuss the substance of what students should learn.

"This one-year program was definitely on a fast track," Pixton said. "As a result, not only will the local irrigation companies benefit, but also those statewide, nationwide and we suspect the graduates of this program will be sought after on a worldwide basis."

This September the first students will attend MIST classes in BBCC classrooms, where a working scale model of a Reinke irrigation circle, donated by the Reinke Co., will be used as an educational tool.

"The one-year program will also benefit farmers, who can send employees to the MIST classes," Skone said. "The farmer would then have a person on the farm who could work on their center pivots."

The students will gain hands-on experience in troubleshooting; learn sprinkler nozzle operation, the installation process, programming and remote control operation. The two-tower, 338-foot-long circle consists of two spans 156 feet each and a 26-foot overhang. The state-of-the-art circle has a touch-screen control panel.

"The end gun is controlled by GPS technology providing pinpoint accuracy," Skone said. "It also has a cable-theft detector which will call the farmer if a theft is taking place."

"This fall eight $2,000 scholarships will be awarded to students in the program." Pixton said. "So far we have seven students signed up and we expect more from the industrial electrical program."

The MIST Program is already making its self known nation wide as one student from Kansas has already inquired and may attend this fall.

Information

Contact Clyde Rasmussen at Big Bend Community College at 509-793-2053.