Dietmar Niebhur had a unique problem, he wanted to irrigate his fields, but had no electricity near them. He needed a solution that was mobile, user-friendly, and could operate without electricity. That’s where the Ocmis R1/1 travelling irrigator from Irrigation Unlimited came to the rescue.

In the mountains of KwaZulu-Natal, just around the corner from Paulpietersburg, lies DHN Farming — the family farm where Dietmar’s father and grandfather practiced forestry for many years. When he took over the farm in 2006, Dietmar decided to diversify by planting some cash crops as well.

“I want to leave something for my sons if they want to take over from me one day. That’s why I decided to also plant cabbage and green maize,” he explains.

The new Ocmis R1/1 on Dietmar Niebhur’s farm.

A farmer with challenges

Dietmar needed an irrigation solution tailored to his specific requirements. He had patchwork fields of different sizes, so he needed a system that was mobile.

His water is pumped up to the farm using a small water-powered turbine, and he uses gravity to his advantage to achieve 8 bars of water pressure in his fields. This makes it easier and cheaper for him to irrigate, even without electricity. So Dietmar needed a system that does not rely on power, but that could fully utilise the available pressure.

For Dietmar, ease of use was a top priority.

Irrigation Unlimited was the solution

Dietmar began researching and considered several irrigation options. A friend recommended Irrigation Unlimited, and he got in touch with Tobie van den Heever, managing director of the company.

“I called Tobie and explained my challenges to him. He said he thought the Ocmis R1/1 travelling irrigator would be the right solution for me,” says Dietmar.

The Ocmis R1/1 ticked all of Dietmar’s boxes. Because it’s a travelling irrigator, it doesn’t require electricity, and the system operates efficiently at pressures from 5 to 10 bar — so Dietmar’s 8-bar pressure is ideal.

He also doesn’t need a tractor to move the irrigator — he simply hooks it up behind his bakkie (pickup) and tows it wherever it’s needed.

“You can set the travelling speed, and everything is mechanical. You just unhook it, turn it around, or tow it with the bakkie to the next spot,” says Dietmar.

He also finds the system extremely user-friendly — it takes just minutes to get it up and running.

“Tobie handled everything. The delivery was prompt, and since I’m not pumping water, he installed a hydraulic valve that shuts off the water supply automatically once the Ocmis reaches the end of the field,” Dietmar explains.

One of Dietmar’s initial concerns was that the water droplets from the spray gun might be too large and damage his small cabbage seedlings. But he says he was pleasantly surprised — the water falls like soft rain on the plants.

“The Ocmis sprays 60 meters wide, and the small seedlings planted that same day aren’t damaged at all when the water falls on them,” he says.

A happy farmer

Dietmar is very pleased. Not only with Irrigation Unlimited’s service but also with the solutions they were able to provide. He says he’s excited to see where he can take his farming with the help of the Ocmis on his land.

“It was a great experience doing business with Irrigation Unlimited. I’m very happy with the Ocmis and would recommend it and Irrigation Unlimited to anyone who wants to do irrigation,” says Dietmar.

If you’d like to find out more about Irrigation Unlimited’s Ocmis travelling irrigator range, visit their website at www.iunlimited.co.za.