What we do
Farm design and layout
Plan the whole farm first, so the layout works for the people who will install it, manage it and run it every day.
Overview
Get the layout right while it is still on paper.
Every later stage depends on the farm plan: planning approval, detailed design, installation, management and operation. We draw up the overall plan at the start and build in what we have learnt on other developments, so installers, managers and operating staff don't meet the same problems later.
Greenfield sites
A whole farm plan for bare ground, starting at the planning approval stage.
Expansions and redevelopments
A new layout planned around the infrastructure and vegetation already there.
Managers and operators
A layout set out for how the farm will be run, not just how it will be built.
What we do
What we cover.
Farm layout and operational considerations
The layout decides how easy the farm is to run for its whole life. We plan blocks, rows, access and space for the headworks around the people who will manage and operate it.
- Overall farm plan to start the process
- Block and row layout
- Access for machinery and staff
- Space set aside for headworks and mains
Survey of existing infrastructure and vegetation
Before the layout is drawn, we survey what is already on the ground. Feature and contour surveys to RTK 2 cm give the plan an accurate base.
- Pipes, pumps, valves and structures
- Trees and vegetation to keep or work around
- Contours and natural surface levels
- Survey data ready for the design team
Soil survey
Soil changes across a property, and the layout should follow it. We map it with exploration pits, a detailed sampling grid and EM (electromagnetic) survey, so blocks can be set out to suit the soil underneath.
- Exploration pits
- Detailed grid sampling
- EM survey across the property
- Soil maps laid over the layout
Slope and drainage review
Slope decides where water runs and where it sits. We review the slope early and design surface and subsurface drainage into the plan, so the drains go in at the start, not after the trees are planted.
- Slope review across the whole property
- Surface drainage design
- Subsurface drainage design
- Drainage put in early in the development
One data source for every layer
A farm plan builds up in layers: survey, soil, drainage, irrigation and more. We keep every overlay on the same data source and reference points, so the layers still line up as their number grows.
- One survey base for every overlay
- Common reference points across drawings
- Changes surveyed and drawn by the same team
- Layers that line up from first plan to as built
What you get
A farm plan everyone can build from.
- Overall farm plan
- Block and row layout
- Survey of existing infrastructure and vegetation
- Soil survey from pits, grid and EM
- Slope and drainage review
- Surface and subsurface drainage design
- Every layer on one referenced data set
- A base for irrigation design, earthworks and tender
Questions
Farm design, answered.
What is the best type of irrigation for an orchard?
There is no single best type, because it depends on the crop, the soil and the water. Drip is typically the choice on new orchards, as it puts water and nutrients in the root zone with little lost to evaporation. On sandy soils, water from a dripper moves down more than sideways, so drippers go closer together, a second dripline is added, or micro sprinklers are used to wet a wider area. We make the call once the soil survey and water budget are done, not before.
What is the best approach to irrigating an orchard?
Design first, hardware second. Start with the water, the soil, the slope and how the orchard will be run, set the layout, and only then choose the drippers, pumps and filters to suit it. Picking the hardware first can lock the layout around a product instead of the block.
When should we bring in a designer on a new development?
As early as possible, ideally at the planning approval stage. Changes are quick to make on paper and costly once pipe is in the ground. An early farm plan also gives the approval process, the designers and the contractors one plan to work from.
Can you redesign the layout of an existing farm?
Yes. We survey what is already there, including pipes, pumps, structures and vegetation, and plan the new layout around what is worth keeping. It suits expansions, redevelopments and blocks due for an upgrade.
Do you survey property boundaries?
No. Boundaries need a licensed surveyor, and we can work alongside yours. Our feature and contour surveys to RTK 2 cm cover what the farm plan needs inside the boundary.
Can you do the irrigation design as well?
Yes. The same team takes the farm plan through network and headworks design, earthworks and drainage, tender and project management. The survey and plan data carry straight through, so nothing has to be drawn twice.
Related
Planning a new development?
Send the property location, the crop and the stage you are at. Nick, Matt or Aaron will call you back with a scope and a price.