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Irrigation is an insurance policy for John Ruff of Huron. An irrigation farmer since 1961, Ruff considers his three wells and self-propelled irriga tion system a_ strong hedge against bad weather. “There was a time in April when I thought I would be turn ing on the water to save the small grain crop,” he said, pausing in his mowing, “but we got some rain and now the crop appears to be safe.”’ Ruff, a former sugar beet producer, expanded his small grain operation this year with planting of certified barley and oats for seed on the irrigated fields. He also has wheat land that can be irrigated and plans to irrigate his sorghum crop lat er this summer. “Sure, we haven’t needed ir rigation yet this year,” he said looking over the fine stands of barley and oats, ‘‘but July and August are hot months and I will be irrigating the sorghum.” Small grain fits into an irri gation system, Ruff added. With grain, you need the water in the spring and fall, times when your unit stands idle, he said. Ruff plans fall irrigation of the field before plowing and water ing again in the spring to get the crop off to a good start. “And the system is available when you need that extra shot of water at the right time dur ing the growing season,” Ruff commented, “It’s not the amount of moisture, but the timing that is important. Irri gation can mean the difference between a crop and no crop.” While the boost in returns is not as great on grains, as with some other crops, irrigation means you can save your in vestment in fertilizer by getting its full benefits, Ruff said. Fer tilizer is wasted without water. Ruff looks on irrigation as one way to improve the produc tivity of his land. He has em barked on a plan of land im provement, draining some low spots and working up the soil to increase the return. When the sugar beet business ended, Ruff turned to small grain seed production because he is a wheat farmer. ‘‘On the home farm, in Hand County, I raise wheat,’’ he said. ‘This is the type of farming I like the best.’* He commutes between the farm near Miller and the one here, depending on the work to be done. He and his family do all the farm work, although the harvesting is done by custom crews. Ruff was raised on the farm near Miller and purchased the Beadle County land in 1961. There was an irrigation well on the farm then and he has add ed two wells which tap the ac quirer underlying the area. SEED GROWER John Ruff examines the stand of barley he is growing for certified seed on his farm northwest of Huron. Ruff, an irrigator, expanded seed production when the sugar beet operation in the state was closed down. (Plainsman Photo)
Newspaper Details
Huron Daily Plainsman
Huron, South Dakota, US
Fri, Jun 25, 1965
Page 7
Full Page
Clipped by
Aspen W.
USA 15 Jun 2026
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