Reinke makes farmers' dreams come true

The farm Welgelegen near Oyster Bay has been the Strydom family’s home since 1904. Johan Strydom tells how his father's dream to set up a pivot here came true. There is sufficient wind to power the wind turbines in the background, but not enough wind to topple a Reinke centre pivot.

need not worry about the pivot's service. "If something goes wrong or if I need advice, Franco Nel is always available to help," says Johan. Reinke is well known for their unique centre pivot structure. It is designed to be the strongest possible structure with the smallest quantity of steel. Therefore, the farmer does not pay for unnecessary steel in the structure and gets the best value for the purchase price of the pivot. Beyond the unique design, Reinke pivots are manufactured from hightensile steel, which is light but strong. They are also designed to keep the structure's centre of gravity as low as possible to prevent the pivot from toppling over in strong wind. To ensure durability, all the steel parts are properly galvanised to provide protection against corrosion and weather. "Because the pivot is so

"It has always been my father's dream to set up a pivot on the farm," says Johan Strydom of JDW Strydom Boerdery near Oyster Bay in the Eastern Cape. The Strydoms have been farming on the same farm, Welgelegen, since 1904. After thorough research, Johan Strydom decided to set up a six-tower Reinke centre pivot to provide sufficient grazing for his dairy cattle throughout the year. The pivot has an 18-metre overhang and keeps a total of 44,3 hectares of grazing green, wet, and nutritious throughout the year. The Strydoms plant a mixture of oats, ryegrass, sorghum and kikuyu under the pivot. The pump is powered by a 37-kW motor that delivers enough power without excessive use of electricity. "The service we received from IrriAgri made the difference,” says Johan. They were involved in the whole process from planning to erecting the pivot. They also helped to install the power line and three transformers that provide the pump and pivot with power." Johan enjoys the comfortable, effortless control that the Reinke Advanced Plus management system provides. The pivot and pump switch on and off automatically at the times that Johan pre-programmed. The radio control system allows Johan to enjoy the full benefits of the Reinke Advanced Plus control box, without being dependent on cell phone signal. "The system is easy to use," Johan says. "There's nothing I have to struggle with. The quality of the pasture is constant and reliable, which means that our milk production is also better. That is the difference that Reinke's pivot makes on the farm." Since Johan erected the pivot in 2020, no repairs were needed. Apart from ensuring the gearboxes are filled with oil, the tyres are properly inflated, and the bearings lubricated, Johan

Johan Strydom manages the irrigation system without hassle with the Reinke Advanced Plus management system. Patrick Ellis from Reinke; Johan Strydom, farmer; and Franco Nel of IrriAgri proudly boast with the 44,3 hectares of ever green pasture thanks to the Reinke centre pivot.

close to the ocean, the quality of the galvanising is very important to us," Johan states. "Reinke not only provides superb irrigation systems, but the total irrigation solutions," says Patrick Ellis, Director of Reinke SA. "We realise that every farmer has unique needs, so we design each system to suit that client’s specific needs."

For more information about Reinke's irrigation systems that fit your pocket and needs, phone

Patrick Ellis +27-(0) 31-350-

4525, or send an e-mail to patrickellis@reinke.com.